


Burn

by YouSaidWho



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Arranged Marriage, F/M, Knight!Killian, Prince!Killian, Princess!Emma, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-28
Updated: 2015-10-22
Packaged: 2018-03-09 10:57:28
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 26
Words: 50,596
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3247091
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YouSaidWho/pseuds/YouSaidWho
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In a kingdom where darkness is growing, a knight and a princess find reason to indulge in each other. But circumstances change; people change. And love lies beyond country borders... CaptainSwan AU. Rated M for smut and language. CaptainSwan. TinkFire. OutlawQueen. Read and review!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Sir Killian Jones

Her hair was braided back behind her face, tucked beneath a dark hood. Every so often, the young woman would shuffle, disgruntled, and try to blow the stray flyaways from her eyesight.

She was  _focusing_ , dammit! Couldn't her hair stay put for one minute?!

Distracted from the task at hand, she almost missed the sight of the unicorn passing through the forest. It was meandering through the brush lazily and the girl's face split into a wide smile.  _Finally_. She'd been waiting hours for this.

But just as she was about to approach it, a loud thump to her right caused the girl to lock eyes with the unicorn in those few seconds before it fled and she inwardly cursed whatever spawn of the devil had made that sound.

When she came up from behind her bush, there was a fury in her eyes that was firmly directed at the man who had made the sound, sprawled upon the ground in disarray after tripping over a fallen log.

"Sir Jones!" Emma yelled angrily, watching the man stand to attention, grass and leaves still stuck to his body. Ignoring the desire to laugh, she continued, "Why are you here?!"

"Forgive me, your highness," the knight slightly bored, his mishaps completely ignored, "But your parents were worried. They only entrust me with your safety."

"Only entrust you, my arse," Emma answered, stalking past him and through to the clearing where their horses were now tied side by side. She swung up on her horse, not waiting for the knight to follow her, far too angry with him for that.

"Princess…" he began warningly as she made to trot off without him.

"Don't say another word," Emma warned. "Or I'll be tempted to do something drastic."

He gave a smirk, as though whatever he pictured her doing drastically could be something quite enjoyable.

"You doubt me?"

"Not at all, your grace," he answered quickly, trying to hide his smile as he averted his gaze. "Maybe I just doubt your delicacy in dealing with unicorns," he muttered under his breath.

Emma almost didn't hear him, but judging by the shock that masked her face as he mounted his horse, she had. And she was beyond any pleasant thoughts towards Sir Killian Jones.

"It was  _your_  blundering idiocy that scared that beautiful creature away," Emma hissed as she rounded him upon her white horse. "And don't you dare mention this to anyone, capisce? I was in the castle the entire time and you just don't know how to search properly." And with that order, Emma was flying through a well worn path towards the castle, Killian following moments later, trying to figure out another way to cover her without embarrassing himself.

He was Sir Killian Jones. He failed at nothing.

* * *

When Emma arrived back at the stables, Jones was close behind her. She dismounted quickly, the stable boy running towards her closely followed by her mother, her kindly face suddenly giving way to that of a stern berating.

"Emma Ruth White, where on earth have you been?"

_Er…_

"I took her for a ride to work off that magnificent dinner, Your Grace," Killian answered, pulling off his gloves as he rounded the corner to stand beside her. "And of course, our Princess wanted to go alone, but at this time of the evening, that is never a good idea."

Emma gave him a curious glance through her fringe that had once again flipped into her eyes. He was covering for her? She frowned when she realised it wasn't how she'd told him to do it.

"Is this true, Emma?" Snow White glared at her daughter.

"Yeah," she murmured, suddenly feeling five years old rather than seventeen. "Sorry mom."

"Let us know next time, Emma," Snow said in exasperation, reaching for her daughter's hands and clasping them tightly. "Please. Winter's coming and there's darkness on the horizon."

"Of course, mom," Emma answered, inclining her head, "I'll try and remember." But that unicorn…gods she needed to see it again…

"Thank you, Sir Killian," Snow said gratefully with a small smile, turning to the knight. "Your fealty in these past few months has been a great contribution to the kingdom."

"Anytime, my Queen," Killian grinned with a short bow. "Allow me to escort you both back to the castle."

They walked in relative silence up to the front doors with the knight walking a few steps behind them the entire way. Emma was acutely aware of his untimed footsteps, yet surprised by his lightness of step. He moved like a dancer, not a warrior.

But as her mother retired to her bedchamber, Killian continued with Emma towards her bedroom and the Queen thought nothing of it. Emma was even more so aware of the knight now that it was just the two of them, and tried to speed up her pace ever so slightly, the sound echoing through the empty stone halls.

As she reached her door, she chanced a look back to find that Sir Killian had an arrogant smile on his face, suppressing laughter that said he knew what she'd been doing with her speed. He knew the effect he had on people...women in particular.

"Well, this is my room," she said pointedly, expecting him to leave. He merely cocked an eyebrow and put his hand over hers on the door handle.

"One minute, Princess," he answered, his body entirely too close for any sort of propriety. Despite her earlier demonstration of her power over him, right then, she was suddenly feeling her age.

"I don't want to have to go searching for you again," he muttered lowly. If they weren't alone, she would have thought he was trying hard not to be overheard. But they  _were_  alone, and the way he was practically breathing on her was far from necessary!

"Then don't," Emma finally managed coldly, trying to avoid looking at the intense blue of his eyes. She'd heard maid's discussing his good looks, but his eyes – up close – were whirlpools that you didn't want to get lost in. Emma was quite happy  _not_  drowning, thank you very much.

"Ah," he chuckled, "But it wouldn't be good form to let a Princess go off on her own. We knights have a code, Princess. And I intend to stick by it."

"Well, while you're sticking by your code," Emma muttered, her face hard "Learn that there's something called personal space." Her hand pushed his stomach. And whilst her muscle mass wouldn't have moved him on it's own, he gathered the point and stepped back. She refused to note that her hand on the doorknob felt remarkably cold after his departure.

"I'll be joining you at 8 tomorrow night for your ride, Your Highness," he said, offering no alternative and Emma simply sighed.

"Fine."

"Goodnight then," Killian answered, already walking away. Emma watched his retreating back curiously before finally opening her door and retiring to her bed.

And as he walked away, Killian Jones felt the corners of his mouth twitch upwards in a smile; the place where their hands had touched still tingling beneath his fingertips.

 


	2. Injuries

The next day, Emma tried to sprint from dinner to the stables in order to avoid being there at 8. If she was out of the castle gates earlier than that, Killian Jones wouldn't be riding with her. And she might just get the chance…

"Good evening, Princess."

His voice caused her to jump, and her horse to whinny in response. Running her hands over his mane, she calmed him down with a, "Shh Pegasus. It's okay. Just a mean old knight."

"I am neither mean, or old, your highness," Killian pointed out, leaning over her stall door. "And you are very bad at keeping appointments."

Emma chose not to answer, and Killian accepted his silent victory, leading his saddled horse through the stables quickly.

"I suppose you've informed my mother of our outing?" Emma asked as she swung her foot into the stirrup, gaining a surprise when suddenly Killian was beside her to help her up onto her horse.

"I have," he answered, before giving her a conspiratorial grin. "But I didn't say where."

"Maybe there's hope for you yet, Sir Killian," Emma raised her brow at him before setting off quickly, once more requiring him to canter in order to catch up with her. She took glances at him as they rode, sometimes side by side, taking in how calm and collected he was atop his horse.

He'd forgone the armour and clothing of the nobles, opting for a thing shirt that rippled as he rode, and…were they…leather pants?!

Did the man not know what things like that could do to a woman?

"Stay quiet!" she ordered in frustration at having ridden silently for twenty minutes with nothing to do but ponder Sir Killian Jones' lot in life. They dismounted quickly in the clearing.

"What makes you think he'll be back?" Sir Killian asked, rather loudly, referring to the unicorn.

"Shut. Up."

He heeded her words this time as Emma began to creep through the forest, pulling her hair back off her face as she went. Killian was surprised to find that he missed her blonde curls that usually fell loose around her shoulders, but dismissed the thought as quickly as it came. Things like that normally let to how it would feel if he were running his hands through it; tugging on it in the midst of –

The unicorn was looking directly at him. Apparently in his musings, at some stage he'd wandered off from Emma, and had somehow found himself confronting a unicorn.

His eyes widened in shock. Er. This was bad.

Despite the common understanding that unicorns were beautiful, peaceful creatures. They were also territorial and dangerous. Especially since they were magical and could see into people's futures.

Apparently the future wasn't looking so bright because no matter where that unicorn was looking, his eyes were dark, and he was aggravated.

Then Emma had to go and break the bloody silence.

The unicorn darted, but Killian was faster. He drew his sword as he ran, hoping he wouldn't have to take down the unicorn, but placing the Princess at a higher value than the animal if it came down to it. Thankfully, he managed to push the animal off course, and the Princess out of the way at the same time, knocking her to the ground as the white creature kept running through the forest.

He fell to her side, ignoring the pain the jump had caused his leg, and pulled her to her feet, catching sight of the flood flowing profusely from her hand. She took notice of it at exactly the same moment.

"Fuck," she whispered under her breath, watching the blood pouring from the cut in her hand, touching the skin gingerly and wincing. He pulled her back through to the clearing, a smirk growing on his face when he realized she wasn't too badly injured if she was still walking easily.

"Do you even know what that word means, Princess?" he asked, turning around, his eyebrow quirking as his tongue did something that should not have been allowed in civilized conversation. Then again, this conversation had very quickly become something far from civilized. He approached her with a slight sway in his step, a spare bandage from his satchel already in his hands.

"Well when a mommy and a daddy love each other very much –"

"I think you'll find that love rarely has anything to do with  _fucking_ , your grace." He almost ran the words together, so that the importance of the sentence lay with the last three words. And when he looked from her hand to her eyes, Emma realized that her mouth had dropped open, partially in shock, and partially in surprised curiosity.

Knight of the realm? Killian Jones sure as hell didn't sound like one.

She was drawn from her thoughts by a burning sensation in her hand. Killian was pouring an amber looking liquid over the cut in an effort to both wash and sterilize it.

"What the hell is that?!" Emma gasped, trying not to scream at the stinging.

"Rum," Killian responded automatically as the last of it fell upon her hand. He looked at the empty flask and sighed, "And a bloody waste of it."

"I thought the knights weren't supposed to drink."

"Daddy dearest's been lying to you then," Jones answered with a smirk as he held her hand with his left and pulled out the bandage once more, his teeth pulling it from his hand. Emma watched him, her eyes asking him in annoyance,  _Is that really necessary?_

But he proceeded to tie the bandage around her wound with his teeth, eyeing her carefully the entire time with a mischievous gleam to his blue eyes. The minute he was done tying the knot, Emma pulled her hand away as though burned by his touch; not to mention his eyes.

"Aren't you grateful at all, your majesty?"

"Fine," Emma answered, begrudgingly as she stepped away. "Thanks."

"Really, Princess?" Killian enquired, eyeing her challengingly, "I practically just saved you from a rampaging unicorn, quite plainly the events of which were caused by your own idiocy, and all you can offer is a measly, 'thanks'?"

"What do you want, a token of my gratitude?" Emma huffed. "Apologies, Sir Killian, but if you weren't here that unicorn wouldn't have run away yesterday and I wouldn't have even been here today –"

Killian was right in front of her at that point, his hand back on her wounded one. "If I hadn't been here, who knows where you'd be, Princess?"

"You want gratitude, Jones?"

Her good hand was gripping his shirt collar before he had a chance to think; then suddenly her lips were on his. It was quick and hard, and he may or may not have tried to get tongue past her lips, but despite her soft movements over his lips, she was pulling away all too quickly. And he was breathing heavily, as though those few seconds had taken all his breath.

For a moment, he thought she looked dazed by her own actions before the familiar scowl set in. She took a step back and turned to her horse, mounting quickly and looking down at him.

"Satisfactory?"

"Hardly, Princess," Killian answered honestly, staring up at her curiously, a tingling still over his lips. They had to stop touching. "But I doubt your parents would approve, so perhaps it's best we leave it there."

He mounted his horse alongside her, hearing her loud sigh beside him.

"I'm sorry about the unicorn."

"Somehow, I doubt that," Emma answered, chancing a look at him from the corner of her eye.

"Your token did make the evening rather enjoyable," Killian answered with a smirk. And Emma chose not to respond. If she did, his flirtation would probably just continue…

So she pushed the kiss from her mind. The taste of his lips, the shortness of his breath…she could swear he'd wanted her…

She pretended not to notice the flood of warmth that filled her when he dismounted his horse back in the stables, and walked away with a slight limp in his step, not uttering a single complaint…


	3. The Knights

"Jones, get the fuck out of bed!"

Killian Jones grunted into his pillow as Tinkerbell folded her arms in his doorway. She rolled her eyes as she crossed the floor, pulling his quilt from his body unceremoniously. His legs curled up into a fetal position in an attempt to keep the warmth in. Tinkerbell almost laughed at him.

"Get up! You're due in a meeting with King David in ten minutes."

"I swear to the gods, Tink," Killian muttered into his pillow. "If you don't shut your loud mouth I'm going to –"

"I will pour this on your head."

Killian blinked open his eyelids to see the blonde woman standing over him with a glass of water above his head. Changing his tactics, he let a lazy grin spread across his face as he stretched out and rolled over, his bare chest in full view of the woman as he pulled his arms up behind his head.

"Are you sure you wouldn't like to join me, love – shit, TInk! What the hell was that for?!" Killian was wide awake now, dripping water all over his face. The suggestiveness that had lit his features moments before was replaced by a scowl as he bounded upwards, suddenly nose to nose with Tinkerbell.

"Awake now, good sir?" the woman grinned.

"Fuck you."

"Not in this lifetime, Jones," Tinkerbell grinned. "Now be quick about it. I'll meet you outside the council chambers."

Killian Jones ran his hands through his hair and shook sleep from his eyes. He missed the visions that had dwelt behind his eyes. It was the only time he could allow such desirous thoughts, since in waking hours, the Princess was far from his reach.

Ten minutes late, the knight was dressed and walking down the corridor, yawning as he went. The knights were already filing into the hall and Tinkerbell was tapping her foot impatiently.

"That was eleven minutes, Jones," she pointed out before leading him into the room. He followed her to his seat beside her pulling hers out for her, and earning a soft smirk from her lips.

"Remind me why you're here again, Tink?" Killian answered jokingly. She merely raised her eyebrow as David addressed her directly.

"Lady Bell," he called across the table. "Please brief us on the work your troupes have been doing down south. I hear that the protection of Fallin is doing spectacularly under your guidance."

"Thank you, my liege," Tinkerbell responded, her hand settling on the hilt of her sword as she stood up. "It hasn't been easy, but I believe that soon Fallin will be self-sufficient and our skills no longer necessary."

"This is welcome news," David smiled down the table before striking up a new conversation about strategies with the knights beside him.

"So, Lady Bell," Killian whispered in her ear, "Have people stopped trying to get beneath your skirts since you started wearing pants?"

"You're too crass for your own good, Jones," Tink hissed back. "My knighthood has done more for me than any man could."

"I seriously doubt that, love," he grinned at his best friend before settling back into his seat and letting his mind wander. What had his knighthood done for him, but stick him in temptation's way every single day…

"I seriously doubt that," he murmured to himself.

* * *

Emma Swan was arm in arm with her best friend Ruby, laughing as they re-entered the castle from the garden. Ruby caught sight of a few of the nights sparring through the window, and casually steered Emma through to the outdoor seating area, conveniently placed with a perfect view of the arena.

"Isn't he fine?"

"Who?" Emma asked, distractedly, folding her skirts lightly beneath her as she sat down. Following Ruby's line of sight, she saw Sir Killian and Lady Bell sparring. She'd never spoken to Lady Bell, and being a girl, Emma knew automatically that wasn't who she was referring to.

_And gods, why did he have to have his shirt off?_

"What I wouldn't do to that man," Ruby almost groaned, running her tongue over her stark white teeth.

"Are you serious?!" Ruby wasn't a princess, but she  _was_  a noble. And nobles didn't speak like that.

_Killian does._

She flicked the thought away and tried to keep her eyes from wandering to the bare-chested man less than thirty metres away. She tried not to notice the way his firm muscles rippled with every movement he made…the way that the droplets of sweat flew down his skin…

_His body moving on hers; skin on skin. Lips and teeth everywhere, hands kneading at her flesh and…_

"I need to, er, go study," Emma said, bolting upwards suddenly, trying not to let Ruby see how flustered she'd gotten entertaining thoughts of Killian Jones doing, well,  _that_.

"Study?" Ruby repeated incredulously. "Like you'd ever do that voluntarily."

"Bye!" Emma continued, knowing she didn't have an answer. But Ruby's eyebrow merely quirked upwards as she walked away, noticing the discrete smirk that was playing at Killian Jones' face as he watched Emma go out of the corner of his eye.

* * *

Emma felt his eyes on her the moment she entered the stables that night. She tried to ignore him, but finally, after ten minutes of him not making a sound, she groaned in frustration and spun round.

"Stop being a stalker and come out, Jones," Emma ordered, invoking the tone she normally used for courtly orders when she was in a bad mood.

"I was wondering how long it would take you to realize I was there, Princess," he answered with a smug smile, swinging off her position leaning against one of the shadowy stalls. He stalked towards her predatorily, and Emma took a step back the closer he came.

"After all, you seemed to realize quite quickly this afternoon," he pointed out, a smug smile plastered on his face as he realized by her blush that, yes, he had in fact, caught her out.

And for some reason, that blush broke his self control.

Killian Jones' lips were on hers before Emma could even gasp. Hot and fierce, his lips molded against hers, coaxing her to open and move against him. Emma moaned lightly when his tongue swept into her mouth, pressing against hers as his right hand threaded through her long blonde curls in a sort of relief. So this was what it felt like.

Emma didn't realize Killian had been pushing her backwards until she found herself backed against the wooden stable wall. One hand was digging into her hip through the layers of her dress, trying to pull and push at the material, attempting to find a semblance of a body beneath it.

Emma's hands had somehow found their way up his loose shirt, tracing lightly over the muscles above his waistband and he shivered beneath her. She smiled into his lips and finally, he pulled away, only to move to her jaw and neck, forcing another groan from her before she whispered, "Is Sir Killian ticklish?"

"In lots of unknown places, love," he whispered back, his voice slightly husky, sending a jolt of fire through her body. Gods, what was she doing?! She didn't kiss knights in the back of the stables…she was the crown princess! She didn't – oh –

His mouth was doing delicious things to her neck as he tilted her head back, rubbing his nose along her skin.

"Princess," he whispered.

"Emma," she answered, her eyes closed in pleasure. "Emma."

That seemed to jolt him out of his haze. Disentangling his hands, he dropped them to his sides, and stepped away as though burned. Emma tried to ignore the bulge of his tight pants as he turned away from her quickly, breathing heavily. "Crown Princess Emma," he said once more, as though to remind himself of the fact.

Then he practically ran away without another word, and Emma simply stood there, hair mussed from his hands, her body buzzing excitedly with want...and anger.

Because yes, she wanted him.

But right now, she was too furious to even give the blasted knight a second thought.


	4. Games

"Emma!"

Ruby was pounding furiously on her wooden door.

"I know you're faking to get out of tutoring. Open this door before I break it down."

And knowing that Ruby most likely would, Emma crawled out of bed and crossed the room, pulling her door open with a hard face to meet a very annoyed best friend.

"Finally," she said, walking past Emma to lounge on her chaise. "Knew you weren't sick."

"And, pray tell, how did you know that? My own mother believed me."

"Queen Snow will believe anything when it comes to you," Ruby rolled her eyes. "You know, some of use are intending to sneak out tonight. We're heading into town."

"Some of us being…"

"Me, Ella, Tink…"

"Tink's gonna rat me out," Emma said, her hopeful face suddenly falling. Tink was a knight.

 _So is Killian_ , that little voice in her head retorted.

"She will not," Ruby scoffed. "Please, you've hardly talked to her. She's the life of the party! Well, the life besides me."

Emma sighed finally, turning to Ruby and saying, "Well. I've got a day in bed before that time comes."

Ruby gave a wolfish grin, "I'll be back after dinner to get you dressed."

"I  _can_  dress myself, Ruby." Emma rolled her eyes.

"Don't go around saying things like that Emma!" Ruby laughed as she exited the room. "You'll put your Lady-in-waiting out of a job!"

Who knows what kind of trouble Ruby would get up to if she had nothing to occupy her?

* * *

"Emma, for gods' sake, what are you wearing?!"

"What?" Emma looked at herself in surprise in the floor length mirror up against her wall. As far as she could tell, this was what people wore around town.

"Do you want half of Anselor staring at your royal décolletage?"

Emma quirked an eyebrow at her friend. With the tightness of her corset pushing up her breasts, the girl may as well have been naked. Granted, Ruby wasn't the crown princess, but still. Tonight, that wasn't who Emma wanted to be either.

She was sick of the politics of it all. Her mother trying to steer her towards a different Prince every ball, lessons in poetry, languages and cross-country relations as well as trying to be the perfect Princess.

There was a reason why she snuck out after dinner every night.

She needed to breathe. And despite the fact that her corset really wasn't allowing very much of that at the current moment, it was the best she could do to escape her predicament.

"But my cleavage isn't royal tonight, Ruby," she grinned. "Tonight, I'm just Emma."

"Well then  _Emma_ ," Ruby managed to say her name in the common dialect, a grin approaching her face. "Don't blame me if you have boys fawning over you tonight."

"Please," Emma scoffed with a smile as she walked past Ruby and into the hallway, "We both know you're the one who won't be sleeping in your own bed tonight."

And Ruby feigned being affronted before closing the door, and hurrying after Emma closely.

* * *

Anselor's main portside town was a hive of activity. It was Friday night, which signified the end of the working week for much of the business owners, and they'd all gone to the tavern to celebrate.

Emma kept shifting uncomfortably in her seat as more and more people came filing into the tavern. But, once she'd downed her first ale, she started to realize that yes, maybe Tink wasn't as stuck up as she'd once thought she was. Easy to joke around with, the knight didn't even question why the Princess was there, taking it in her stride and simply treating her as one of her friends.

It was strange, but having those three friends around her was making her feel more at ease with each passing moment.

A particularly rambunctious group fell in off the street at that point and the barmaids made a point of finding them a table and lingering for a while. A few of them took the girls into their laps as they chatted amongst themselves, happy to have a woman showering them with affection.

Whilst Ruby, next to Emma, was repeatedly shoving away unwanted attention, Emma had only had to decline two men's offers to buy her a drink. She didn't come out tonight to be courted…or, well, the alternative to being courted.

Ruby was elbowing her as she stared over at the knights. "Sir Victor is looking delicious."

"Ruby!" Emma scolded her before the two of them burst into silent giggles. Ruby had fawned after the knight for as long as Emma could remember. But when she elbowed her again, it was to say, "Sir Killian hasn't taken his eyes off you."

Emma's mouth widened as she finally put two and two together. The loud group that had arrived had been the knights. Of course, it was their day off tomorrow as well. Why not have a good time…

"I thought they didn't act like this."

Ruby rolled her eyes, "They're men, Emma."

That seemed to be explanation enough, as Ruby went back to talking with Tink and Ella.

But since Ruby had pointed it out, she couldn't help the pricking feeling of Killian's eyes on the back of her head. It was making her agitated and fidgety as she imagined the gaze he was eyeing her with.

Finally, she couldn't take it anymore, and muttered something about it being stuffy before turning around and walking out of there, eager for fresh air. Gulping it in, she let her heart peter down to it's usual beat. She shouldn't be having those thoughts about him. She shouldn't imagine what he could be doing to her right now, alone…

Rushing back into the tavern, she thought that her friends might be able to clear her head, only to find that her friends were gone.

After a minute, she realized that the two separate tables were now intermixed, Ruby and Ella over at the knights, and Killian and Robin over at hers. With a scowl at Ruby, who was now sitting in Victor's lap (and let's be honest, he was  _quite_  happy to have her sitting there), Emma took her seat once more, sliding in next to Killian who was avidly talking with Tink and Robin.

"Decided to join us, your majesty," Robin joked across the table in high spirits. The 'your majesty' got her, and her hesitancy grew.

"Don't worry, love," Killian was suddenly muttering in her ear. "Your misadventure is safe with us."

_Why did misadventure have to sound so suggestive?_

"And what of your misadventures Sir Killian?" she whispered back, raising her eyes to met his startlingly blue ones.

"Not quite sure I know what you mean,  _Emma_."

The smirk playing at the edge of his lips said he knew all too well what she meant. And he called her by name…gods, was she actually  _flirting_?!

Their arms were pressed together, too close in proximity to allow any movement. If she shuffled, she'd be shoved off the bench and onto the floor. So she dealt with the feint brushes of his arm against hers that would shoot sparks through her with each instance. She wanted to tell him to roll down his sleeves so they wouldn't be touching anymore, but she could just imagine the smirk that would grace his face if she did.

"Are you having fun, Princess?" he asked a few minutes later, perusing her downcast face with his piercing eyes. She glanced up at him through her eyelashes because, for once, the question seemed genuine.

"Not particularly," she sighed, finally. It had to be the alcohol. Why else would she be so blatantly honest with him?

"It was Lady Ruby's idea, wasn't it?" Killian continued, peeking a glance at Victor and Ruby who were effectively wrapped up in each other. In that moment, neither of those two were nobility. And Emma envied them.

"Yeah," she sighed finally. "It seemed like a good at the time. Now I'm just thinking that a glass of water and some food might be in order."

"Aye," Killian nodded. "I'm a little hungry myself."

And Emma could've imagined the darkness in his eyes as he said it, so she chose to ignore it. Well, she ignored it until she felt his hand worm into hers beneath the table. Looking up at him, shock on her face, she found him consumed by conversation with Robin and Tink. But there was no way he was stroking her skin tenderly without fucking realizing he was doing it!

A mischievous grin spread across her face as she realized that two could play at that game.

And maybe it was her alcohol addled mind, because she honestly couldn't remember how much she'd drunk, but suddenly, having Killian touch her seemed like more of a punishment to him than to her.

Boy, was she wrong.

With her legs crossed lightly on the edge of the bench, it was easy enough to slip her skirt up a little, and drag Killian's hand to the skin just above her knee.

She felt him freeze next to her and a satisfied smirk graced her face. But he kept talking, and even when she disentangled her hand from his, he left his hand on her knee, rubbing circles into the flesh that was sending her spiralling with thoughts of what his hands could do if they were just that little bit higher…

_Gods, this was a bad idea._

As his hand traced over her knee, Emma tried to pointedly ignore it. Until she couldn't anymore and glanced over at him. He was still chatting away with Tink and Robin, seemingly ignoring what he was doing to her.

_Well, if he was going to be like that…_

Her hand ran up his thigh beneath the table, tracing delicate patterns through his skin tight leather pants. Suddenly, Killian's hand clenched on her knee.

"I'm going to go and find the bathroom," Emma said smoothly, heading away from the group and outside to the cobblestoned street. There were barely any people around at this time of night; it was refreshing. Somewhere far away, the distant tolls of a clock tower told her it was eleven. They should probably be heading back soon…

Warm hands were on her hips and she was dragged away, being pushed up against the stone wall facing the alleyway beside the tavern, hot breath tinted with rum on her neck.

"What are you playing at, love?"

The wall was freezing in comparison to the heat of his body behind her.

"You started it," Emma answered as his lips found the skin of her shoulder. She bit back a moan as he teased the flesh with his teeth. "What are you doing?" she finally managed, the pressure of his body leaning against her causing her to feel  _every_  inch of him.

"What does it feel like I'm doing, love?" he whispered huskily against her neck, tracing the length of her pale skin with feather light fingers. "Don't tell me you don't want this."

She'd be lying if she told him that.

His hands were digging into her hips through her skirt, outlining her curves with his palms as they ventured lower, rounding her cheeks before coming back up to her waist, his lips now teasing behind her ear as she shivered.

"You want to take me in the alley?" she whispered, hating how wanton she sounded. Since when had she wanted him so badly?! Then again, now that she thought about it, he had been luring her an awful lot lately.

"I assure you, I'm well adept at this particular act, Princess," he whispered before freezing against her back. "It's not your first…"

His momentary hesitation gave her enough room to spin around, a fire in her emerald eyes. She was defiant enough, trying not to let him see her innocence. Just because he was, what, five years older than her…

But Emma's silence spoke more than her words could.

"I don't want someone walking out and seeing us…" She finally managed a half truth, even though Killian was standing two feet away, trying to reign in his need.

"Ah, so it's secrecy you want, lass," he was back to his light and teasing tone, trying to keep the edge out of his voice.

"Isn't that what you want?" Emma pointed out, suddenly angry with him for backing out. He hadn't even kissed her again! And yes, she damn well wanted him to. "Anselor's small. People know things."

"But I don't want to know people," Killian answered almost slightly resigned before he realized what he was saying and thought better of it. With a smirk, his arms reached around to pull her to him in one smooth move. "I just want to know you," he whispered, beginning to bend down to kiss her.

And when his lips met hers, it was too gentle, because after yesterday's encounter, and tonight's games, both of them were on edge.

Emma grabbed his shirt, using it to bring him infinitely closer as she forced her tongue into battle with his. This time she was determined to win, her hands moving around his neck to pull him to her. He didn't seem to mind; his rough hands gripping her figure through her dress, pressing her hips against his. She found herself rubbing against him as his lips trailed across her jaw, allowing her to breathe.

Finally, she said the words that needed to be said.

"I want this."

"Want what, Princess?" Killian murmured, from somewhere. Her collarbone, she thought, maybe? She couldn't really tell anymore, her entire body on fire.

"No one has to know," she whispered, answering his question indirectly, pulling away to see his blue eyes searching hers for some sort of confirmation, allowing her body to cool off momentarily as well. "I'm game if you are."

"Oh Princess," he half laughed, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear, a devilish smirk upon his face. "You've got yourself a worthy opponent."

"We'll see," she smirked back, placing a quick peck on his lips before leaving him standing in the alleyway completely shocked and aroused. She walked away with a light spring in her step. Finding her friends once again, she found herself, for the first time in a long time, happy.

But nobody noticed the woman shrouded in darkness, creeping in the corner of the tavern. Watching. Waiting…


	5. The Past and the Present

**A Year Ago**

* * *

 

 _"This is…_ not my room _–"_

_The knight who had just walked into Emma Swan's quarters without knocking hurriedly turned around, covering his eyes with his hand and looking sheepish as the naked Princess yelped, tugging her towel around her._

_With the door slamming shut behind him, she heard a muffled, "Sorry milady!" from the other side of the door. Her cheeks flushed red in embarrassment. Goodness, how much had he seen?!_

_"No apologies necessary my Lord," Emma called back, trying to keep her voice steady. "Please be advised that the guest quarters and knights quarters are in the West Wing."_

_"Thank you," he called through the door. "Once again, I'm sorry."_

_When Emma finally met the man from that morning, she recognised him by his mop of unruly black hair. His cheeks flushed when she came into view, and his eyes glanced down at the floor._

_"Emma, please meet Prince Killian Jones," her father directed. The young prince bowed from the waist, taking Emma's hand in his and brushing his lips lightly over her knuckles._

_"Welcome to Anselor, Prince Killian."_

_"Killian's here for training," her father explained. "He wishes to become a knight."_

_"Ah, so soon it will be_ Sir _Killian Jones," Emma grinned. He finally raised her eyes to his and she found that they were the most startling shade of blue she had ever seen. He smiled and she felt herself blushing, suddenly reminded of the morning's events._

_"Indeed it shall, Princess."_

* * *

_Emma didn't see much of Prince Killian. It was one of those things about being in two separate worlds even if you were living in the same castle. There were polite nods whenever they passed each other, but it seemed like he was almost scarred by the first moment they met each other._

_It was sixth month's before they had a decent conversation with each other. And it wasn't under the best of circumstances._

_"I'm so sorry, Killian," Emma said, catching him standing by the bookshelf, gazing out the window without really seeing._

_"Why?" he asked distractedly. "You didn't kill Liam."_

_"I'm still sorry," Emma answered. "And I'm sorry about what it means for you. I know how much you wanted to be a knight."_

_"Yeah," he whispered, his head falling. "You know, your father still wants to give me a knighthood."_

_Emma frowned. "But doesn't that, you know, break a lot of rules."_

_"He wants to give Lady Bell a knighthood too," Killian pointed out, trying to just exactly how much her father was inclined to break all the rules._

_"I see," Emma frowned. "But Lady Bell's not first-in-line for her own throne. You are now."_

_For the first time ever, Emma thought she saw a flash of anger in his eyes. Calm Prince Killian…angry?_

_No, not angry. Bitter._

_"But I don't rule," Killian answered quickly, his tone a touch colder than it was before. "At least not yet."_

_And that cold bitter person, became Sir Killian three months later._

* * *

_Killian's father came to stay in those weeks after the knighting ceremony and Emma watched them carefully; they didn't speak once._

_Emma didn't know what the rift was, but ever since Killian's knighting ceremony, she'd begun to see sparks of life in him again. But despite those inklings of happiness, the very presence of his father quashed him back down again._

_Her lady's maid at the time was as flamboyant as Ruby. But as Ruby hadn't been presented to society yet, Emma still had servants to take care of her._

_The lady was beautiful, older than Emma, to be sure, perhaps mid-twenties, and she was kind enough, if a little dreamy. She guessed it shouldn't have surprised her then, to one day walk in on Killian Jones practically devouring her face in the servant's kitchens. Emma only went down for an apple; and ended up scarred for life._

_Milah apologized to Emma profusely over the next few weeks, but Emma shrugged it off. It didn't bother her too much. The publicity of it, maybe, but she never saw them together again. But Killian was still smiling in secret. And that meant he was somewhat happy._

_For some reason that made her happy._

_And then his father left to go back to his kingdom, and Milah woke up in her bed one night, screaming as she bled out from the stab wound in her chest. Her funeral was small; she was a commoner. Just some friends and Emma and Killian._

_Killian Jones; cold as stone._

_As of that day, Emma never really saw that light in him, again._

* * *

Emma had a long sleep in the next day. Her mother, once again, assumed she was sick, but of course, Ruby knew better when she waltzed in around lunchtime looking extremely happy with herself.

"So, how was it?" Emma heard the slightest bit of envy in her own voice as she asked her friend how her night was.

"The man's arrogant," Ruby said in explanation, "For a very good reason."

"Ruby!"

"You need to get out there Em!" Ruby groaned, sinking down onto the edge of her mattress. "You can't keep waiting around to find someone. Your parents are going to get annoyed with the whole 'waiting-for-your-true-love' thing and marry you off to some stuffy Prince one day. Why not sample some of the fish in the sea before you have to pick."

And when Emma blushed, Ruby's eyes narrowed.

"What aren't you telling me?"

"Nothing," Emma answered, not convincing at all.

"Emma, for someone with a habitual talent of calling people out on their lies, you have a terrible poker face."

Emma finally gave up as Ruby demanded stonily with her wide eyes.

"ImayhavekissedSirKillianquitethoroughlyinthebackalley."

Ruby's eyes widened further until she looked back to her friend with narrowing eyes once more. "Repeat that again using syllables so that I can check whether I just heard correctly."

"I may have, er, kissed, Sir Killian quite thoroughly in the alley out back."

Ruby practically leapt off the bed in excitement.

"Oh my gosh, how was it? Was he good? I bet he was. I mean, have you seen that thing he does with his tongue? Of course you have. Wait…" She trailed off, thinking carefully. "Was this the first time?"

Emma chose to remain silent. She should have learnt by now that it was far too incriminating to do so.

"Princess!" Ruby grinned, feigning chastisement. "You should have said something! I mean, I had inklings after the 'study' excuse two days ago."

"I kissed him the night before," Emma admitted.

" _You_  kissed  _him_?" Ruby quirked an eyebrow. "It's probably not a change. Women seem to throw themselves at him all the time."

Emma's face grew a little confused by Ruby's suggestion. She hadn't seen Killian with anyone since, well, Milah.

"What?"

"Well you've seen how he looks…"

"He's a knight, not to mention a prince!"

"He's a  _man_ , Emma," Ruby explained once more.

"That doesn't give him the right to…" Emma sighed, trailing off. It didn't give him the right to sleep around and then expect her to give him everything. She wanted to. She wanted to give into those carnal desires, but then what would happen? One day they'd get sick of each other. And he'd return to his kingdom, find himself a wife, she'd get married and they'd move on.

Actually, when she put it like that, it really didn't seem like a terrible arrangement whatsoever.

"Right to…" Ruby prompted.

"Never mind," Emma shrugged, getting up off the bed and heading into her bath chamber to wash herself down. When she was suitably clean, she came outside and began to dress herself.

"You should've waited for me!" Ruby's voice came from the doorway as she brought in Emma's lunch.

"Because I can't do up a few laces on my own," Emma rolled her eyes.

"That's hardly the point, Emma," Ruby berated, crossing the room to do up her corset to the tightness it was supposed to be.

"I guess not," Emma sighed. It was proper for her to have a confidante in Ruby. But even Ruby couldn't know about the agreement that had passed between her and Killian last night.

She was a little on edge for the rest of the afternoon as Ruby took her into the garden and Emma made small talk with her mother. Snow wore a concerned look all afternoon, sending Emma back to bed around three because she wasn't being as responsive as usual.

Her mind was elsewhere.

On her way back up to her room, she was tugging at her braids, thinking that loosening them might help her relax. Maybe she really did need a nap –

"Miss me, Princess?"

She looked up to see Killian's smirking face looking down at her. It should be illegal to wear that face and immediately send shivers down her spine.

"Nope." She popped the p, and his eyes narrowed. Taking a step forward, she took a step back in a kind of obscure dance. Only, Killian looked less like he was dancing and more like he was closing in on a small animal.

A small animal that found herself backed against a wall quite quickly.

"You don't leave a man like that, Princess," Killian practically growled, referring to the night before, blocking out her light and caging her with his arms on either side of her head, "It's very bad form."

"Erm…" Emma was speechless, her body overriding her words. His blue eyes were staring into hers, almost black with the dark lust seeping into him. She swallowed.

Killian's hand was in hers then, pulling her two metres down the hall and into a small closet where linen padded the shelves. They were plunged into darkness when the door shut.

"What the hell, Jones, I –"

His mouth was on hers, effectively dulling any chance she had of getting words out. He didn't kiss her delicately, but hungrily, as though with every second that passed he grew more of a starved man.

Emma gasped for breath at every chance she got, wondering how Killian could keep going without so much as a whisper of air passing his lips. When she needed it, he would trace his lips across her jaw, nibbling on her earlobe and down her neck, forcing her body to bend into his, before he would take her lips once more, keeping the fire of need, burning.

It was a while before Emma realised that her skirts were bunched up around her waist and Killian's hands were wandering patterns up her thigh before finally hitching it up over his hip.

He groaned as she pressed against him intimately, and Emma simply gasped at the heat building in her core. So this was what it felt like?

His fingers were dancing along the edge of her panties and Emma felt a blush creeping over her cheeks. "What are you doing?" she whispered into his lips as he took her lower lip between his teeth.

"Don't you want to know what it feels like to be touched, Princess?" he whispered huskily, grinding into her once again. Feeling him against her was something she couldn't fathom, but gods it felt good.

"I do love that colour on you," Killian grinned as he took a moment to glance at her blushing face.

"It's dark," Emma hissed. There was no way he could see her.

"I can feel your heat, Emma," he whispered, and Emma caught the double entendre as he lowered his hand to her core and pressed down upon her.

"Mmm," he murmured, his lips against her collarbone. "Do you want it, Emma?"

Did she? This had escalated way too quickly for her…oh…

Killian had pushed aside her panties, sweeping his fingers through her wetness and brushing over a point that made her give a small strangled moan.

"Hush, Princess," Killian whispered as he continued his ministrations. "Don't want anyone walking in."

Emma found it increasingly hard to keep quiet as he continued, alternating pressure and patterns until she was thrusting herself against him in desperation, needs that she didn't know how to express spilling from her mouth.

"Killian," Emma whispered, "I need you to…" She didn't know what she needed. Fuck, she barely knew what he was doing to her. And dammit, he was laughing at her!

"What, Princess?" he grinned into her cheek, kissing it lightly as his fingers rubbed gently over her clit. "Do you want me to make you come?"

She almost asked him what that was before she realized. His hand sped up, circling around that nub of pleasure as something build in the pit of her stomach, heightening until all she could feel was pleasure. Her body stiffened against the wall as she lost her breathe for a moment, a silent scream escaping her mouth.

Finally, she sank down into the wall. Killian was smirking through the darkness as he wiped his hands on her panties before letting her skirts fall back over her bare legs.

"That, love," Killian whispered, "Is what you were begging for when you let me touch your skin last night."

Emma was still trying to regain coherent thought.

"What was that?" she breathed finally.

"Pleasure," Killian whispered, his lips joining hers once more. "Simply pleasure."

"I didn't know it could happen without…" Killian raised his eyebrow as Emma's eyes flickered down to the bulge in his pants.

"No offense, love," Killian answered, in amusement, "But I'd prefer a bed."

"So, we're doing it again, then?" Emma tried to keep the hopeful edge out of her voice. Gods, she felt naïve. Although, slightly less than she had ten minutes ago.

Killian chuckled, "Is that a request or a demand, Princess."

"Well, I know that you have duties and –" His lips were back on hers again in a searing kiss.

"We are doing this again," he answered throatily, calming himself as he pulled away from her. He jolted his head towards the door in almost a dismissive way. "I'm going to need a few minutes."

Emma felt a little empty as he stepped away, put off by his easy dismissal. But she put it aside, ecstasy still running through her veins. As she put her hand on the door handle, she heard him speak from behind her.

"I'll come to you," he promised.

She blushed.


	6. Desperation

Princess Emma hated balls.

It was a common misconception considering the glowing smile her mother always forced her to wear. The queen always assumed that one day it would grow on her; that she'd be the prim and proper princess that she was supposed to be.

Prim and properly fucked–

"Killian, what the fuck are you doing in here?"

Emma scrambled to pull up her dress, her eyes darting round to where Ruby was busy in her bathroom. "Get out!" she hissed.

"I don't know, I have fond memories of a time like this…" He leaned against the doorframe, his smirk grating on her already tense nerves.

"Do  _not_  finish that sentence," Emma warned, her eyes flashing as she held the metres of material over her breasts. "Unless you want Ruby fawning over you, get out."

"Save me a dance, Princess!" Killian wiggled his eyebrows suggestively before slipping out of the room with a wink. Emma rolled her eyes as Ruby returned, a headpiece dangling from her hands.

"Were you talking to someone?" Ruby asked, clearly distracted with untangling the jewels from each other.

"Nup," Emma answered.

And either Ruby was really  _that_  distracted, or Emma was getting considerably better at lying.

* * *

Emma gave a large sigh of relief when she walked down the stairs on her father's arm. Her mother would be making her own entrance later in the night considering it was her birthday, but for the moment, Emma zoned straight in on the food table.

"You walked quite gracefully down those stairs Your Highness," a voice came from next to her and she almost choked on the bread in her mouth.

"Graham?" she partially choked, before swallowing quickly and throwing her arms around him. "What are you doing here?! I didn't think my mother extended the invitations to Cassadia!"

"Like I was going to miss my best friend's birthday," he grinned. "How is said Queen."

"As good as she can be," Emma rolled her eyes. "I'll be glad when the night's out and she can stop nagging me to be such a…"

"Princess?"

"Shut up," Emma rolled her eyes, catching sight of Killian in the corner, jammed between Robin and Tink and most definitely eyeing her as he spoke.

Could he not fix his eyes somewhere else?

"So, any boys in sight that I need to castrate?"

Emma almost choked on the drink she'd just sipped.

"What?" Graham looked at her incredulously. "Can I not play protective uncle with my faux-niece?"

Oh, thank the gods he hadn't thought her reaction meant that there was a boy…man…boyman… Truly, this night couldn't get any worse.

"Oh, look there's Killian!"

_She stood corrected._

Emma took a deep breath as Graham called Killian over. Graham was at least ten years his senior, but a few months ago, he'd assisted with his training – a mentor of sorts even though Graham wasn't a night. The man had trained hard to be the future king of his kingdom.

"Graham!" Killian came over and embraced the man, but there was a steely edge to his smile that didn't quite meet his eyes. Perhaps it was because Emma knew his eyes so well, but she supposed, to anyone else, he was glad to see Graham.

Gladness wasn't exactly an emotion she associated with Killian.

They talked for a while, and Emma had to graciously accept dances from Prince Friedrich, Prince Julian and Lord James before she found someone rather familiar cutting into her dance.

Across the dance floor, her parents were watching the two of them apprehensively. It was well known that their daughter and Prince Killian didn't get along that well.

"Should you cut in?" Snow asked her husband, biting down on her lower lip as they circled each other, a nervous habit that her daughter had also picked up.

David sent his eyes over to the couple, and whilst Emma was looking uncomfortable, she didn't look as though she was about to knock the knight over the head with her heel. He answered his wife slowly, "They seem civil."

"The calm before the storm," Snow said wisely.

It kind of was. Emma and Killian didn't speak at all whilst they were dancing, too focused on the steps as they walked and circled and spun, eyes fixated upon each other. Emma could feel Killian seeing past her exterior, setting her afire with the hunger in his gaze. Gods, could he not control himself for one whole day?

But when the dance ended, he kissed her hand gently, sending tingles up her spine, before the music stopped and there was a song played specifically for Snow, to which she and Charming danced to the wide eyes of the crowds. Emma pondered the way they moved, it was almost as though they were one.

She wondered if she could ever be loved like that.

* * *

"I'm fine Ruby." Killian could almost hear Emma rolling her eyes at her best friend as he waited not so patiently in the shadows outside her door. "Really. I think I'd prefer some time to myself right now."

"Night a bit much?" Ruby's voice was sympathetic.

"Yeah," Emma sighed.

"Don't worry, Emma," Ruby reassured her. "You'll find your man someday."

Emma didn't answer.

Killian ducked down the corridor and into the darkest of shadows as Ruby meandered out of the door and down the corridor to her own room. He waited a few moments before slipping into the princess's room, closing the door behind him with a soft thump.

He locked it.

Emma spun round. Her wearied face becoming a mask of frustration when she spotted the knight at her door.

"Killian," Emma hissed. "You can't be in here, now, what if someone sees you! And what the hell were you doing, dancing with me earlier! You could've given away the entire –"

_He needed to stop doing that._

But all protestations were wiped away when he did. There was a certain desperation to the way he kissed her that night, pushing her backwards in the candlelight, tugging desperately at her clothing.

"Let me see you," he whispered.

"Why?" Emma retorted, taking a step back, "You didn't get enough when you were eye-fucking me earlier?"

"Let. Me. See. You. Princess," Killian demanded, his eyes flashing as he reached out his hands for the thin robe that covered her nightgown. His hands deftly undid the ties, dropping it to the floor before kissing her once again, his hands clutching her waist and bunching up the material.

"What's wrong with you?" she breathed in between his frantic kisses. She wasn't complaining, but there was a certain madness beneath his exterior. Something that had driven him to need her with such desperation.

"I want you," he answered huskily. "That's the point of this, isn't it? That I want your body. That I want you writhing beneath me as I take you beyond pleasure."

Emma shivered at his words, a low mean escaping her mouth before her on hands began to work at his clothing, untucking his shirt and pushing it up over his head. But still, there was nothing said of his own.

Well, it was kind of a given.

As she threw his shirt to the floor, she felt the raw heat of his body emanating into her own. Running her hands over the muscles and through his hair, she finally placed them around his neck and pulled him down for a messy kiss, all tongues and teeth and complete lust.

Before Emma knew it, her knees were collapsing against the edge of the bed and Killian was closing in on her, kneeling down against her legs and slowly pulling her dress upwards from her feet. Emma was buzzing with anticipation, but giving him a glare that said, quite plainly, 'hurry the fuck up'.

But he didn't.

He leant in, placing delicate kisses against her knee, his scruff leaving the area slightly red, continuing north until he was on her thighs, her stomach…her breasts.

Emma moaned aloud as his lips enclosed over her rosy nipple, hands skimming over her light flesh as she arched backwards. He pulled back for a moment, pupils dilated and bulge in his pants rather prominent, inclining his head towards the pillows.

Emma took the hint, backing up to the pillows, the cold reminding her acutely that she was, in fact, almost naked around a man. A man who was crawling up her body and devouring her figure with his dark eyes.

He took her lips harshly, plundering her mouth with his tongue like he wanted to swallow her breath. And he did. When he pulled away, it was only to trail down her body to where his hips were rocking deliciously against his thigh. She hadn't realized she'd been unconsciously pushing up against his until she felt him between her legs, the material that separated them hiding absolutely nothing.

Emma tried to ignore the tugging of uneasiness when she realized that Killian hadn't looked her dead in the eye since he entered the room.

But it didn't stop his hands from pulling down her panties until they laid with her dress upon the floor. She began to blush, and shuffle her body in an effort to not be so…bare before the Prince hovering above her.

"I want to see you," he whispered, in an effort to ease her. And it kind of did, at least until he swept his fingers through her folds and a soft groan of appreciation left her mouth.

"Princess," Killian groaned. Emma's eyes widened as she looked up at him, a question in her eyes.

"Is it going to hurt?" Emma whispered.

"Maybe," he answered honestly, glancing down at her for the first time in a while. There was a certain amount of tenderness in the words. Emma nodded, at least he was being honest.

He returned his lips to the hollows of her collarbones as his hands went to the ties of his pants, only to find that Emma was already halfway done with them. She shot him a cheeky smirk when he looked up at her and he dove back in to kiss her.

When they were both completely naked, their clothing lying in a messy pile by the bedside, Killian covered her body completely, aligning himself with her so that he was brushing against her warmth and she was struggling to relieve some of the pressure.

"You're sure?" were the only two words Killian spoke. And Emma nodded before feeling a stretching sensation deep within her. Killian moved slowly, not knowing how he physically manage to when Emma was so tight around him and all he wanted to do was take her and be done, but still, he kept himself in check for her sake.

And when the pain came, Killian muffled her cry with a particularly gentle kiss that slowly became more passionate and mimicked the soft thrusts he was making with his hips. Finally, Emma murmured against his lips, "I thought you said something about being a 'worthy opponent'?"

A low growl was in Killian's throat before he began to move faster and deeper, Emma's body finally succumbing to pleasure as he filled her. Her hips moved against his, trying to gain as much pressure as she could find, her exertions leaving both of them breathing heavily as they sought their releases.

Killian was digging into her hips, his hands roughly kneading at her flesh and his lips sucking at a point just above her breasts. At that point, Emma didn't even care if he marked her.

"Killian," she gasped, as a jolt of pleasure ran through her, the precursor to what was building in the pit of her stomach. "It's happening again."

She swear she heard him laugh, and a little insecurity flashed through her before his fingers found that little nub of ecstasy and within seconds, her body was arching off the bed and into him as he continued to thrust growing more erratic until he finally stilled, a warm sensation filling her as they both slumped.

Emma was still feeling the aftershocks for a few minutes afterwards as they caught their breath, Killian's body a warm comfort atop hers. He tucked his face into her shoulder, running his hands smoothly up and down her sides.

"Thank you," she whispered, turning her head to place a soft kiss on his cheek. He murmured something unintelligible in response. Finally, pulling himself out of her and off her, he turned his face away.

"I'll leave you be, for tonight, then, Princess." Killian said, sounding too formal after what they had just done. He reached through the pile of material for his pants and redressed quickly.

"Killian, I mean it," Emma said, not knowing quite why she was so intent on him knowing, "Thank you."

"Thank  _you_ , Princess," he answered, a smirk playing at his lips.

"When are you going to find me again?" Emma asked, trying not to sound like she wanted it too much. But gods, after that? She wanted him all the more.

He pulled his shirt over his head before turning around to her and placing a light kiss on her lips. "I'm out for the next two days. Try not to miss me to much."

Emma pouted and he grinned. For a second, Emma almost thought there was a light sparkle in his eyes.

"I won't," she answered with a soft smile, kind of glad. She hadn't realized before, but her lower half was actually aching. "Have a good time."

"Oh, you know me, love," he answered from the doorway. "I  _am_  a good time." Then he shut the door and Emma was left naked in her bed, alone once more. She didn't bother getting dressed, simply pulling up the covers and putting out her candle quickly.

It was only as she was drifting off to sleep, the room feeling decidedly empty and cold, that Emma finally realized that it was two months to the day since Milah had been murdered.


	7. He'll Be Home

When Killian Jones returned from his trip, he was dead on his feet. Tink greeted him in the stables, having just come back from her round trip of the northern border.

"I'm being sent to make negotiations with the Cassadians."

"Really?" His eyes widened despite his tiredness. His mission had only been a simple checking of the borders, but for Tink to be playing international ambassador? Well, she was stepping up in the world. "You know I hear the prince is a sexist pig."

"You say that about every person you've never met, Jones," Tinkerbell rolled her eyes as she pulled her gloves off her hands. "You said that about my dad before you realized he was actually my dad."

"Doesn't make it any less true," Killian answered, with a wide smirk as he led his horse into the stables. The stable boy was nowhere in sight, and so, without a second's hesitation, he began to strip his steed of his saddle and proceeded to cool him, feed him and brush him down, Tink chattering from the stall door the entire time.

"You know," she said, pondering after around twenty minutes. "You're in an awfully good mood today."

And surprisingly, he was.

He wasn't sure if it was the fact that he'd just had two days to himself to clear his head through the countryside, or that he knew he had someone to come home to in some capacity, but yes. He was, in fact, mildly happy.

"Had a good day, I guess."

Tink didn't buy it. Her green eyes narrowed as she stared at him. "There's something you aren't telling me Prince Killian Jones."

"And it's going to stay that way, Lady Bell," Killian answered, loving the ability he had to keep things from her.

"Fine then," she stuck up her nose mockingly. "I'm going to visit the Cassadians and you won't get a chance to wish me well because you aren't my friend."

Killian laughed, catching her outside the stall as she walked away. "Come here, Tink." He swept the petite woman into his arms in a tight hug. "Have a good time. Show the Cassadians your worth."

"Please," Tink grinned as she pulled away. "They'll see my worth the minute they set eyes on this." She ran her hands down her body before flicking her blonde hair dramatically and walking away, leaving Killian laughing in the stables. He locked the stall door before heading back up to the castle.

He checked in quickly with David and gave him a five minute run down before heading back to his room and fully intending to lie down on his bed and sleep for a solid twelve hours.

However, as he let out a sigh and began to pull off his chainmail, he had the strangest feeling that there was someone else in the room. Now clad in his pants and shirts, he looked quite comical grabbing his sword and creeping across the room barefoot to find the intruder.

Except, said intruder decided to reveal herself fairly quickly. Stepping out from behind his changing screen, Emma was looking equal parts mischievous and guilty.

"Hey," she said in a small voice, eyeing him with her soft green eyes.

"Princess?" Killian's eyebrows raised as he let the sword drop back to its place by the door. "You probably shouldn't be hanging around here."

"I hid until I was certain it was you."

"Dedication, my Princess," Killian gave her a small grin. When had he started referring to her as his…

"How was your trip?" Emma asked, walking over to him slowly.

"Good," Killian answered honestly, feeling his skin start prickling as she got closer. Gods, since when had a woman had an effect like that upon him?

_Well, you do remember Mil-_

"There wasn't very much to do out there." The smirk was back on his face as he sidled closer to the Princess. And he saw something shift in Emma's eyes. Was that…sadness? Had she really seen the sudden, almost, imperceptible change in her.

"Did you think of me?" Emma asked.

"Of course, love," he was in front of her by then, snatching his left arm around her waist and drawing her close until her body was flush against his. His warm breath was upon her face in those seconds before he placed his lips on hers. Emma was surprised by the gentleness of it, threading her hands up the material of his shirt, already pulling it over his head. Discarded quickly, her hands found grounding upon the muscles of his shoulders. She frowned when she felt how tight they were.

"Killian, you're really, erm, tense," her cheeks blushed as she murmured against his lips, her green eyes meeting his blue. She knew he was going to have a provocative comment to answer her with.

"You can help me with that," he grinned, and Emma simply rolled her eyes.

"Get on the bed," she ordered, inclining her head. Killian raised his eyebrow at her forwardness but didn't move. She pressed her fingers into his shoulders in explanation and he felt a sensation of pain and pleasure where she touched him.

He was on the bed relatively quickly after that.

That was the afternoon that Killian Jones realized just how good Princess Emma's hands were.

Surprisingly, it was a lot less sexual than he'd first presumed. He tried to reign in any sounds that he was making and Emma was fairly focused on finding his pressure points and knots as she straddled his back.

They spoke of trivial things as she worked. He told her of the soldiers he'd met over the last two days, she complained about her writing lessons and made him laugh with her and Ruby's antics at Princess Grace's birthday high tea.

She loved his laugh.

Ema kissed his shoulder blade delicately, running her lips along the bone as her hands continued to work. She heard him groan lightly into the pillow as she continued to trace her lips across his back and down his spine. She felt him tensing beneath her and within seconds he had spun around and pushed her back onto his bed.

"Finally," she rolled her eyes. "I thought you were falling asleep on me."

He kissed her hungrily; she tasted of cocoa. She was kissing him back, tangling her tongue in his as her fingers traced up his arms and around his neck. After a few moments though, she seized up, the fingers at the nape of his neck clutching his hair almost harshly.

"What's the time?" her eyes were wide.

Killian turned his head to the window where in the far distance, a clock tower sat in the town. "Almost six thirty. Why?"

Emma was pushing him off her hurriedly and frantically. "I'm fucking late for dinner!" she cried out in fear. Killian chuckled. Fancy her swearing now but not when they were in the middle of more pleasurable activities.

Climbing off the bed, she jumped towards the mirror, eyes widening at the state of her hair. "When did this happen?!" she enquired in horror, combing her fingers through it desperately.

Killian's lips curved up in a small smile as she looked over at him helplessly. Patting the area beside him, she frowned but he confirmed, "My intentions are pure."

"Since when?" Emma grumbled, sitting down beside him. He reached in for her hair, delicately separating it before asking her to turn so that he could braid it. They were both silent as he concentrated on the task. Finally, Killian took the pins that she handed him and pinned the plait in a curl on the side of her head.

Looking up at him wondrously when it was complete, she asked, "Do I want to know?"

Killian pursed his lip for a second, "My mum used to make me do her hair. She didn't like her maids."

And that seemed to be all the explanation she was going to get. Emma didn't push him further, realizing quickly that Queen Allina Jones had died five years ago. Emma murmured her thanks before standing up.

He tapped her bottom as she left, calling after her, "I'll see you tonight, Princess."

Emma closed the door, an unexplainable happiness bubbling beneath the surface.

* * *

Ruby eyed Emma carefully at dinner, her dark eyes taking in her slightly flushed skin and her immaculately crafted hair. Her parents saw nothing out of the ordinary, and when Emma retired, her mother swept her into a hug.

"Not that I approve of your and Ruby's prank with the custard today," her mother pointed out, "But I'm glad you've stopped with the late night rides."

Emma grinned in response, biting her tongue because she knew that there was something else occupying her time that she very much did  _not_ want her mother knowing about. Heading up to her room, Ruby was silent beside her, speaking only when the candles were lit an the door closed.

"You don't know how to do your hair like that," Ruby accused. "Where were you this afternoon!"

"I was –"

"And don't even  _think_  of lying."

Emma sighed, heading over to slip out of her shoes. "I was with Killian."

Ruby's eyebrow rose but other than that, she gave no inference to say she thought anything else. That is, until she said,  _"_ With Killian or  _with_  Killian."

"With Killian."

"With intentions of being  _with_  Killian."

Gods, Ruby could be both insightful and confusing at the same time.

"Yes," Emma gave away in exasperation, knowing Ruby wasn't giving up easily. "Okay? Yes."

Ruby's eyes widened before she gave Emma a conspiratorial grin. "Have you had sex?"

"Ruby!"

"It's a valid question," Ruby shrugged. "Why do you always say my name like that?"

"Because it's a valid way of showing annoyance," Emma answered in frustration. She partially wanted her friend to leave so that Killian would come, but she also knew that she needed this.

"Well?"

Emma sighed before averting her gaze and nodding imperceptibly.

"With him?"

She nodded again.

"Was it good?"

Emma blushed, now it was getting personal. "Can we not do this?"

Ruby sensed her discomfort but merely wiggled her eyebrows suggestively before saying, "I want details soon. I'm assuming you want to get undressed by yourself. Or, someone else is coming by to do the undressing for you?"

"RUBY!"

"Okay, okay," she held her hands up in surrender. "I'm going. Have fun!"

And the door shut before Emma could even reach for a pillow to throw at her friend's retreating back. Sinking down onto the edge of her bed, she began to pull the pins out from her hair.

"Already undoing my good work, Princess?"

Emma jumped.

"Do you not know how to announce your presence, Jones?" Emma groaned as he shut the door with a wide smirk on his face.

"Killian Jones, milady," he mockingly bowed. "At your service."

As Emma tugged on her hair, he rolled his eyes and sat down next to her, assisting her with pulling at the wound hair. "How was dinner?" he enquired.

"Terrible," Emma answered. "I don't know what Eleanor's doing, but I think she should not be trying to cook fish like Louie. It doesn't work."

Killian chuckled as he finally loosed her hair from it's bindings. "Thanks," Emma murmured, spinning around to place a surprising kiss upon his lips. Maybe it was because what they'd been doing seemed so natural or maybe it was because he'd momentarily forgot what he went there for, but he was genuinely surprised by that soft kiss.

"I'll be back in a second," Emma whispered, her eyes fixated on his lips. "I just erm, need to get my corset off –"

"I'll do that, love," he whispered, flicking his eyes from her lips to her eyes and doing that stupid thing with his tongue that send heat pooling in her core. His hands began with the front of her dress, untying the binds and trying to unravel it from her body. When it was loose enough, she held her arms above her head, and he slipped it over her body, throwing it to the side before kissing her lips thoroughly, until she was moaning into his mouth. His hands had already unclasped her corset halfway and within seconds it was on the floor, her thin underdress all that was currently protecting her skin from the oncoming assault of his lips.

"You're wearing too many clothes," Emma pouted before he could reach for her thin slip.

His shoes and shirt were off in five seconds flat. Then he was back to kissing her, pulling her forwards with him…

"What are you doing?" Emma asked finally as he sunk into her pillows, beckoning her with the hand that wasn't tucked behind his head.

"Relinquishing control," he answered with a smirk, "But don't expect it to happen again any time soon. Having you on me this afternoon was simply too good of an opportunity to pass up."

Emma's eyes widened, but she got the gist of things pretty quickly. Reaching over, she planted a soft kiss on his lips before trailing her lips down his chest, feeling him shuddering as she went lower. Her fingers tangled in the ties of his pants, quickly ridding him of them and pushing them down his legs.

He reached over to push the straps of her dress off her shoulders. Emma slipped out of it quickly, the way Killian's pupils dilated with lust putting any hesitancy she might have had out the window. Dropping her panties with her underdress, Emma crawled back over to Killian who was waiting patiently for her despite the aroused state he was plainly in.

Seeing him naked on her bed, that handsome smirk on his face, she felt wetness pooling in her core and climbing over him, she eagerly bend down to kiss him, gasping as his cock brushed over her entrance.

"Are you waiting for an invitation, Princess?" Killian murmured against her lips. Emma flushed before finally lowering herself onto him, feeling the stretch of him with decidedly a lot less pain than last time, only pleasure.

She watched his face as she began to move over him, her hips undulating as she took him in and out over and over again. He had one hand on her hip, gently guiding her but the other was tracing patterns over her breasts, tugging on her aroused nipples whilst his eyes were fixated on her face. There was something intense about the way they could hold each other's gazes, and Emma couldn't help but move faster, the pleasure rolling over her in waves.

Killian's breathing was coming in sharp pants as he thrust upwards into her and Emma leant down to kiss his swollen lips. His fingers were touching her then, begging her to come with him. And she knew he was close when he could barely keep up, too busy losing control.

With one look at his pleasure filled face, Emma couldn't take it anymore. She felt herself explode, clutching onto his shoulders for leverage as she tried to ride out the pleasure. He gave one final thrust and came in her, the clenching of her walls finally driving him over the edge. She slumped, exhausted.

"That was different," Emma finally breathed as she rolled off him, settling beside him. "Was it good?"

Killian turned his head and quirked an eyebrow at her.

Emma took it the wrong way.

Bolting upright, she wrapped the sheet around her naked body, feeling terror settling in around her. Of course it wasn't good! Who was she to –

"Emma," Killian whispered, coming up behind her and putting a hand on her waist to stop her from moving. "Love; it was amazing. Don't run."

"Don't say that just to placate me," Emma whispered, pulling back stupid tears that were threatening to fall.

"You're beautiful, Princess," Killian frowned, pulling her around to face him, and placing a soft kiss. He was confused as to why she would be so insecure.

"But, you never say anything…"

At that, Killian's eyebrows rose in surprise. So she wanted it like that…

"Tomorrow, love," he promised, pulling her back down to bed. "Just rest up for now."

Emma was still not particularly appeased, but she let herself be led back into the bed, tucked up against her pillow. She turned to face Killian, watching as he stared aimlessly up at the canopy of her bed.

His body heat emanated over to her, making the quilt she pulled over herself warm and comfortable. She was slipping into oblivion quite quickly.

"You can't be caught here," Emma murmured as she drifted off into sleep. "You should go."

"I will," he answered.

Emma was too far gone to hear just how tired his voice was.


	8. Light The Fuse

Emma couldn't help but feel content when she woke up the next morning. It was a few moments before she realized that there was a strong arm looping around her waist and a warm body pressed up against her back, and a person snoring lightly in her ear. Her eyes widened in shock as she spun around, waking the man with her movements.

"Killian!" she hissed, feeling the light streaming in from her balcony. "What the fuck are you still doing here?! Get out!"

He stirred sleepily but finally managed to blink his eyes open. "'Morning, Princess."

He gave her a lazy grin, that would have been adorable and sexy under any circumstances that weren't these.

"I thought you were leaving last night," Emma pushed at his shoulder in annoyance. "Get out before someone –"

Her doorknob was turning.

_Her fucking doorknob was turning._

"I'm getting dressed Ruby!" Emma tried, but she knew it was too late.

"It's nothing I haven't seen before – oh."

Ruby's shock quickly turned into a small mischievous smile as she stalked towards the end of the bed. Emma threw a cautious glance at Killian. Whilst there was fear in his eyes, he hid it well, leaning back into the pillows and sighing.

"Good morning, Lady Lucas," Killian greeted smoothly.

"Good morning indeed," Ruby answered, grinning widely at Emma, who simply rolled her eyes. Of course. A half (well, fully) naked man in front of her and those eyes suddenly glazed over. "You two aren't being very secretive."

" _Someone_  forgot to leave last night," Emma answered pointedly. At least Killian had the decency to look sheepish.

"I was tired, okay? Unlike some of us, I'd had a two day ride."

"Should I leave you two alone?" Ruby enquired, already taking two steps backwards.

"No!" they both said in unison, things always got decisively out of hand when they were alone. Emma could only imagine what sparks would fly if they were fighting.

"If you'll turn around, Ruby," Emma asked, "Killian's going to get dressed and leave."

Ruby didn't move.

"He's not moving until you do."

"Spoil my fun," Ruby rolled her eyes and turned to go into Emma's wardrobe to get her clothes for the day.

Killian was already throwing the sheet off his and hurrying into his pants. It was moments like that, seeing his finely sculpted body, all rough edges and perfect lines, that Emma wished they had the luxury of mornings.

"I'll talk to you later," Emma promised as she hurried him out the door.

"You better," he answered, stealing one more intense, and definitely over too soon, kiss from her lips before hurrying down the corridor. The minute the door shut, Ruby was standing in the middle of her room, waiting patiently with an expectant grin on her face.

"Spill."

* * *

When Tinkerbell walked into the castle of King Cassadian, she damn near fainted. He may as well have robbed Midas (and with his shady rep, it was entirely possible) because the amount of decorative gold ornaments in the throne room was insane.

"Lady Bell."

Gods, his tone was already condescending.

"I hope your trip wasn't too difficult?"

Tink looked up to find a man sitting on the throne. Surprisingly, despite the beautiful throne room, the man was dressed in the simplest of Kingly garbs.

"It was quite smooth, my Lord," Tink answered. "I find that the tales of the distance to your kingdom have been greatly exaggerated. It is much closer than it appears."  _Ergo, why on Earth do our kingdoms never speak when it's literally only a day's ride!_

"Ah, but such journeys are hard on an old man, my lady." The king's eyes glittered. He saw exactly what she was doing.

"You are still in your glory days, my Lord"

"Nevertheless," the King answered. "Any and all dealings you need to discuss with me will first be put through my son."

"Am I not worthy of your time, King Rumplestiltskin?" She said his name boldly, knowing it was rare for him to hear it. He struck fear into many people – but Tink was not one of them.

But the King didn't flinch.

"Precisely, Lady Bell," he answered stonily. "My son will convene with you at 5 in his meeting room. The servants will guide you. Good day."

And as she was dismissed, Tink's face flushed in anger. How dare he?! Treat her so and pretend she was worthless. And she knew she shouldn't be thinking such thoughts, but when she left the throne room, the only thought on her mind was:

_What an asshole._

* * *

"So, your birthday ball, Emma –"

She tried not to choke on her tea. She swears she tried. But it didn't work. She was coughing and spluttering until she looked up and saw Ruby laughing at her.

"Really, Emma," her mother groaned in exasperation. "One day you'll be organizing these events –"

"When I'm Queen I'm going to outlaw balls," Emma retorted. "And high heels."

"If you don't have a party, you're never becoming Queen," her mother threatened and Emma raised her eyebrow. Did Snow really think that was such a threat? That Emma wouldn't give up the throne in a second if there was another heir.

But Emma had to do this. For her mother, if no one else.

"Can we make it small, mother?" Emma pleaded. "Keep it within the neighbouring kingdoms?"

"I gave us three months to plan so that we  _could_  make it a big affair," Snow argued. "You only turn eighteen once, Emma."

"Then shouldn't I get a say in how it's celebrated?" Emma reasoned, trying not to get into such a heated argument with her mother when she knew she wouldn't win. But her mother was looking at her strangely.

"When did you grow up, Emma?" her mother looked on her fondly. "I'll see what I can do about keeping it small."

Emma felt a small smile gracing her face and before she knew it, she'd crossed the space between them and wrapped her arms around her mother. Snow was surprised, but hugged her daughter back with equal fervor.

"I love you, mom," Emma whispered.

"I love you too, honey."

"I love both of you!" Ruby cried, jumping in on the hug.

The three women laughed.

* * *

"Good day?"

Emma was being pulled into his room before she could even gasp. She hadn't even realized that she'd been walking past it with the book she was reading in her hands.

When Killian shut the door behind them, he plucked the book from her hand and put it aside, not before glancing at the cover and freezing.

"'Etiquette for the Courtly Lady'?" he questioned incredulously. "They actually write books on that?"

"Well," Emma answered, sidling closer to him and wrapping her arms around his neck, "For some people it doesn't come naturally."

"You can most definitely say that again, Princess," Killian grinned, his hands rubbing up and down her waist. "I don't suppose there's an 'Etiquette for the Courtly Lady in the bedroom'."

Last week, Emma would have blushed. Now, she simply leant in to him.

" _There are all sorts of books in the library_ ," Emma whispered in his ear and he seized up, glancing down at Emma in surprise. "If you know where to look," she grinned slyly.

"Are you trying to turn me on?" Killian groaned, nipping playfully at her lower lip.

"Oh, I have to  _try_ now?" Emma questioned him, grinning before he scooped her up bridal style and dropped her on the bed despite her protestations. He was definitely turned on. Where had  _this_  little minx come from?

"Killian," she groaned as he crawled on top of her. "It's four in the afternoon. We need to be more careful. Next time it might not just be Ruby walking in."

"Ergh," he grunted, pushing his way off her and over to the door where he latched it loudly. "Satisfactory?" he enquired, looking back at her and finding that in the ten seconds it had taken him to walk across the room, she already had her dress off.

And what she was wearing underneath – or what she wasn't wearing underneath – forced Killian's mouth to drop open in awe.

Emma's mouth twitched upwards as she saw his reaction.

"What is that?" His throat was dry.

"A brassiere," Emma grinned watching as his eyes scanned her body, growing darker by the second. "Precisely the opposite of what courtly ladies should be wearing."

"It's very, er,  _revealing_ ," he murmured as he approached her.

"Do you like it?" Emma enquired, genuinely, and he gulped. Her eyes zoned in on the bulge in his pants and she smiled. When he climbed in front of her, she reached for his shirt and pulled it over his head like she'd done it a thousand times. His hands were quickly trying to free himself from the uncomfortable tightness of his pants, but Emma wasn't making it easy. Her lips were snaking down his neck and he wanted to touch her so badly…

The minute his pants were on the floor, he was kissing Emma. Pushing her down into the bed, he trailed his hands over her curves, edging the flimsy material and cupping her breasts even as she arched into his hands whispering, "Take it off."

"Not yet," he answered with a grin, thoroughly enjoying the way it almost seemed as though the flimsy material was restraining her. But Emma simply groaned and let her hands trail down to where he was hot and hard. The minute her thumb brushed over his tip, she felt him shiver over her.

"What kind of books, exactly, have you been reading, Princess?" Killian groaned.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Emma teased as she moved to grip him in her hands, stroking up and down as he thrust lightly into her hand.

"Perhaps I would," he answered before his head bent forward to see what she was doing. "Oh, gods lass, you need to stop that or this will be over before we start."

"I remember when you first used your hand on me," Emma answered, with a furrowed brow. "I didn't mind."

That peaked Killian's interest. With a devilish grin, he pulled away from Emma, tracing his lips down her body where he began to tug her panties down her legs with his teeth to her complete surprise.

But that changed when he licked a strip through her wet folds and she shuddered in pleasure. His tongue was doing incredible things between her legs, his scruff burning against her thighs as she reached for his head. Grasping at his hair, she pulled him away, panting breathlessly. "I don't want to come without you."

He took her, with an animalistic growl. He kissed her hungrily and she could taste herself on him, her need for him too great to want anything other than him inside her.

"Oh gods," Emma cried out as he plunged into her fully. He wasn't being anywhere near delicate, fuelled by desire and heat.

"That's it, Swan," Killian grinned above her, they  _had_ promised to be more vocal the night before, "How much do you want me?"

"So much, Killian," Emma moaned as she clutched at his shoulders, running down the muscles of her back. "Harder," she almost whispered. He let out what almost sounded like a whimper of relief before taking her with hard and sharp thrusts, forcing her to clutch onto him as she met him with each movement. Sometime in the haze, Killian practically ripped her brassiere from her, dropping it with the rest of their clothes and latching his mouth onto her breasts, sucking and kneading and nibbling...

Her nails dug in to his back, probably leaving marks, and his lips were sucking on her neck, undoubtedly leaving marks. But in that moment, she didn't care. She pushed up against him, her body aligning with his fully so that he could drive into her and hit that spot inside of her that made her bite back a scream. She almost managed to hide it, but Killian picked it up.

"Never picked you for a screamer, love," Killian smirked as he thrust perfectly into her again and again.

"I didn't expect you to fuck Princesses," Emma answered, goading him into another particularly rough thrust that brought her closer to her orgasm.

"Just you, darling," Killian grinned, leaning over her commandingly. "Your body…" He trailed off as his eyes darted over her sweat-covered skin, glowing in afternoon light coming in through his window. Emma whimpered as she felt her pleasure coiling deep within her, building with every movement until she cried out a silent scream, seizing up as her inner walls pulsed around Killian's cock.

He smirked triumphantly, thrusting through her climax until he too, came inside her, filling her with his seed and slumping down on top of her.

Emma was breathing heavily, staring up at the ceiling as Killian too, tried to catch his breath. "We're getting better at this," Emma breathed as Killian rolled off her. She turned over to face him and found him lying there with a stupidly satisfied smirk on his face. "What's that face for?"

"Just wondering what other things you've learnt lately, love," he grinned, his blue eyes sparkling with mirth.

"It's five o'clock," she stated, leaning over him to look out of the window at the clock tower. "I've got another hour before I have to go to dinner." She looked down at him as she felt his hand tracing patterns on her side. His eyes were following his fingers as they made their way to her face, brushing over her lips in the few seconds before she leaned in to kiss him, climbing onto him with a practiced ease.

It was another half an hour before they sank, utterly spent into Killian's sheets. Emma was using his arms as a pillow, taking his lead and running her fingers along his side as he drifted off into a peaceful sleep.

She let herself have those moments of peacefulness, knowing that her mother would have her on party prep and accelerated tutelage from now to her eighteenth birthday. But twenty minutes later, she had to leave his warmth and shuffle to the bedside, reaching for her underwear.

"Where are you going?" his sleepy voice murmured from behind her, reaching for her waist to pull her back down to bed. But she was already pulling her dress over her head.

"Unlike you, some of us have royal duties to attend to," Emma smiled back, ignoring looking at his sleepy face. Because then she'd just want to crawl back in with him…

"Blow them off," he answered, as she felt the bed shift. She heard him moving across the bed to press his firm torso to her back. "Or if you'd prefer," he whispered into her ear. "I have something else you can bl –"

"And with those words of eloquence, I'm off," she said quickly, practically skipping off the bed.

"Ergh," Killian groaned as he clutched at air. " _Emma_. You can't just leave me after doing that!"

Emma's eyebrow questioned him. Clearly, she was.

"It's on repeat in my head," he continued, eyes dropping from her eyes to her lips, "Your mouth…"

"You'll have something to last you then," Emma answered, as she found her cape and tied it quickly. Killian found himself smiling at how easy their banter had become. "I'll see you later."

"Really?" Killian enquired. "That insatiable, Princess?"

"Well if you'd prefer not…"

"I'll be there at eleven."

Emma gave him a glowing smile before checking the hallway and shutting his door quietly. She quickly went up to her room so that she could change into something more decent for dinner. But the moment she closed her door, she fell against the door and slumped, her body falling to the floor.

Fuck, she just wanted to curl up in bed with him and not leave for days. But that wasn't what they did. They fucked. And they slept. And they talked, then they fucked again.

But Emma knew. She wanted  _more._

And that was something entirely too dangerous for either of them to even consider.


	9. Get Away

Tink was pacing back and forth in the Prince's meeting room. Impatiently, she kept flicking open her pocket watch. He was already twenty minutes late! How much longer was he going to make her wait –

The door burst open, and the Prince himself came strolling in hurriedly.

"My sincerest apologies Lady Bell!" he said with a small crease in his brow as though he was genuinely concerned. "My father didn't want to stop talking."

Tink rolled her eyes, "Go figure," she muttered. And he gave her a warm smile. Tink eyed him strangely. Perhaps he wasn't the douchebag that his father was. He didn't seem to have a problem so far. In fact he seemed genuinely nice.

"Drink?"

And now he was offering her wine as he gestured to her seat.

"Sure," Tink conceded, sitting down in one of the red velvet chairs.

"I was speaking to our knights, apparently there's been some activity in the east with the unicorns fleeing into our lands. They flee from darkness and that is incredibly concerning."

Tink frowned as he handed her the wine in a crystalline glass. "With all due respect, Sire, why share such delicate matters with me."

"Because, undoubtedly Lady Bell, you're going to be much more help than my father," the Prince answered, slumping down into his seat. "Please, call me Baelfire. Or Bae."

"Tink," she answered without thinking. "So what's this darkness?"

"Well," Bae started. "It began about six months ago…"

* * *

"That's right, Princess," Killian smiled at her as he held her hand. She was barefoot, trying to cross a beam held a metre off the ground without falling. It was either do this twice without help or walk around for an hour with books on her head. She opted for the first.

And fell flat on her…

Nope. He caught her. Placing her lightly on the ground, Emma sighed. They were in public view where anyone could walk through the grounds. And Ruby was eyeing them shiftily over her not too innocent romance novel, which was undoubtedly hiding a smirk. She could only guess at the restraint they were practicing.

"Again, Princess."

"I swear, Jones," Emma answered through gritted teeth, as he helped her the short steps once more. "If you don't stop talking."

"I thought you didn't want me to be quiet."

"Shut. Up."

"As my lady commands," he grinned, helping her take the first few steps before letting go of her hand gently and letting her take the rest on her own. Until she fell, once more, just after halfway.

This time, Killian was too far away to catch her.

She tumbled to the ground, her cream dress, catching in the dirt and leaving brown splotches in odd places. She sat there for a minute, facing away from him with her legs tucked underneath her, simply staring out at the forest before she stood up again.

She walked around the other side. She didn't look at him. She climbed the stairs herself, and walked the first half with a practiced ease.

Then she kept going. And she finished it.

Killian didn't say anything as she went back to the beginning and completed it once more. He simply applauded with a large exhale of relief when she stepped off the end and turned to him.

"Well done!" he exclaimed as she walked over to him. "How'd you do it?"

He tried not to notice the pain in her suddenly downcast demeanour.

"Courtly ladies don't think about emotions," was her only response before she walked straight past him to Ruby.

_Well, what the fuck was he supposed to think about that?_

* * *

"Is something up with you and Killian?" Ruby enquired as Emma changed out of her muddy dress.

"Is something up with you and Victor?" Emma retorted from behind her screen.

"Something's always up with him, if you catch my drift."

But Emma didn't even chastise Ruby for the comment and Ruby frowned.

"Seriously, Ems," Ruby muttered in concern, "You're scaring me. What's wrong?"

She didn't answer, simply coming out from behind the screen and asking politely if Ruby would tighten her corset.

"I'm fine, Ruby," Emma answered, but her voice sounded weary. "Just a little tired."

Neither of them believed that.

* * *

Tink had been with the Cassadians for a week. She didn't see the king – thank the gods – but she did spend a lot of time with Prince Baelfire. He'd even started taking her out on his patrols, letting her help with instructing his men in their training. Of course, only after she'd beat him prolifically at a sword fight.

The men were hesitant at first. Whilst Baelfire had warmed to a female knight, the rest of the population wasn't so at ease. However, after she'd managed to disarm every single one of them at some point, she'd earned a fair amount of respect in their ranks. They may make crass and sexist jokes, but they did what she said. And in the end, that was respect.

It was after one of those days when Tink and Bae were heading back to the castle that he asked her, "How long are you intending to stay, Tink?"

"Probably only a few more days," she answered honestly, "I really should be getting back before David sends an army."

"Well, you know we have an alliance. My father has signed, and you can take the paperwork back with you."

Tink gave him a small smile, "Thank you, Bae."

"I'll see you at dinner," he promised, heading off to his room. Just as Tink was going up to hers, she was met with a letter.

"This came from King David today milady," the servant said with a short bow.

"Thank you," she answered, taking the small sealed parchment from him. Opening it, she scanned the words quickly, her brow furrowing as she did so.

_Make haste to Neria. King Andrew is gravely ill. David._

Tinkerbell's heart rate picked up imperceptibly. King Andrew…

Killian's father.

* * *

Killian worried about Emma. There was something distant about the way she would rock against him every night. As though she were giving him her body, but she wasn't entirely there. She would barely say anything even when he spoke sinful things in her ear. She would merely shiver in pleasure, and her back would arch and she would come beautifully, but coldly.

She wouldn't stay by his side afterwards. She would turn away and face the window, looking beyond the doors as though she were trying to find something uncharted amongst the stars.

Every night, he would sneak into her room after Ruby left, and he was always gone before Emma woke up. And despite her distance, despite the walls she built up when they were together, she would reach for him. She would reach for stone cold and slightly rumpled sheets. They would smell like him, but she wouldn't linger in the emptiness of the morning light. It hurt too much.

Because every night, Emma grew that little bit closer to love.


	10. Feels a lot like Sorrow

"You are leaving already, Lady Bell?" Bae was following her quick footsteps with a furrowed brow. "I thought we still had a few days…"

"Something's come up, Bae," Tink answered, spinning around as she clasped her cloak around her shoulders. "I'm sorry," she answered genuinely, a little sadness in her eyes. "I was looking forward to the next couple of days. Perhaps meeting your older brother again."

"Me too," he said a little sadly. "I'll give Graham your regards."

"I'll see you soon," Tink promised, surprising herself when she put out her hand on his forearm familiarly. "It's only a day's ride from here to Anselor."

"Perhaps I will, then," Bae answered, a sparkle in his warm brown eyes. "Safe journey, Tink."

"Hehe," Tink laughed as she walked out of the castle calling back, "Not at the speed that I ride!"

* * *

"What's wrong, Emma," Killian asked, as he did every night when she rolled away from him.

"Nothing," she answered.

He crawled over to her, wrapping his arm loosely around her waist and trying to get her to bend into him. She simply wriggled out and threw off the blankets, searching for her nightgown.

"You can stay if you want," she said, "I'm just cold."

"Hence why I was offering you my services as a heat pack," Killian frowned, leaning back against the pillows. "Did I do something to offend you Princess?"

"No," she answered, before pulling a blanket out of her chest and adding another log to her fire. She crawled back into bed, quite far away from him. After twenty minutes of silence, Killian got up and dressed himself, leaving quickly.

Emma couldn't fall asleep as she usually did. She stared everywhere, trying to find something to latch onto that didn't make her think of  _him_. She should stop it. It was probably the safest thing for her. They should stop doing this before it went too far.

_Hasn't it already gone too far?_

Emma jumped out of bed and began to pace past her fire, trying to clear her head. It didn't work though, and eventually, she simply grabbed a pillow off her bed and sat down on her rug, falling asleep as she leant up against her chaise, staring into the fire.

That was how Ruby found her the next morning. Bringing in her breakfast on a tray, she didn't even bother to say anything, simply sinking down beside her friend and wrapping her arms around her.

"I love you Ems," Ruby tried to comfort her.

But it wasn't Ruby's love that she craved.

* * *

Queen Snow brought up the crowning ceremony.

Emma lost it.

She yelled and she raged and her parents were astonished that they had brought such a reaction about in her. Because it wasn't passion that echoed in her eyes, it was fear. Princess Emma was scared.

Because she didn't want it.

She didn't want a party – because that meant that she was turning eighteen. That people would want to marry her, that she'd have to start making decisions in court that affected the entirety of Anselor.

She didn't want a coronation – it was common knowledge that she was the Crown Princess. Why on earth did she need to say some bullshit lines about fealty to make the title official?

 _Because it would be official,_ she reminded herself.  _And then there'd be no escaping it._

And most importantly – she didn't want to love Killian Jones.

She didn't want to love his smirk and his inappropriateness. She didn't want to love the way he could be a perfect gentlemen sometimes and the sexiest of lovers at other times. She didn't want to love the way he smiled or the way he could hold her and make her feel as though she was the only person he could ever love.

Because the truth of the matter was, that he didn't love her.

And that was good. Because it made her try and see sense. It made Emma try and see why they couldn't keep finding each other in bed night after night.

But that didn't mean that her heart agreed.

And when she found herself in Killian's room that night, going to him before he could come to her, she had every intention of telling him it was over.

Emma thought she'd cried every tear she could possibly have cried. But she was wrong. Because the moment she saw his face, they came back to her eyes. But she refused to move towards him.

"You know what it's like, Killian," Emma murmured, looking up at him through tear-stained eyes. "You know what it's like to live with this hanging over your head."

"I do, Princess."

"Make it go away?" she pleaded, searching out his blue eyes. She knew it couldn't last. That he could only distract her for tonight before she told him he couldn't anymore.  _One last time,_  she begged with her eyes.  _Please._

"It never goes away, Princess," Killian whispered, delicately tracing her face as he came closer. "No matter how hard we try."

He wondered when this had happened, why he suddenly felt the need to hold her as she cried in a purely caring manner. But it didn't feel wrong, so he did. He sank down on his pillows, and she sat by him, her arms wrapped loosely around his waist.

And when he finally took her, it was slow and tender, brushing away the tears that fell from her eyes. It couldn't have just been those words that triggered her depression. She'd known since she was born that she would someday rule. Something else plagued her mind, something deeper.

But he couldn't find what it was.

And so he kissed her, and cherished her, dare he say it, he may have even loved her as he leant down to caress her skin with feather-light touches. But he knew as well as she did, that the touches they gave each other would only ever be what they were.

Touch.

So he entered her slowly, allowing her to feel every part of him, her hands grasping at his waist and pressing into his muscles as she pushed herself against him with a desperation that seemed familiar. A desperation to get lost in him.

"Killian," she whispered, moaning lowly. "Killian." She kept repeating it like a prayer as he placed delicate kisses down her throat, groaning as she sped up her movements. "Please."

And they raced towards their climaxes together. Speeding towards the edge as if they could never get there fast enough. And for some reason, Emma didn't want to go over. She didn't want this to end.

But it did. It ended in ecstasy. In that brief moment, she could pretend.

And that night, she allowed him to hold her as she fell asleep, and he breathed her in deeply. The very essence of Emma.

But Emma couldn't stay.

She woke up around three in the morning, darkness still claiming his room. She pulled away from where her head was using his chest as a pillow, and glanced tenderly at him, sorrow tinting the edges of her vision.

"I would wake up in your arms if I could, Killian," Emma whispered, placing a kiss on his forehead before pulling herself away from him, into her clothes, and out of the door.

Little did she know, that was the last she would see of him for a very long time.

* * *

When Killian awoke in his lonely bed the next morning, it was to find someone else in his doorway.

"Killian," Tink said from the doorway. He looked up with a smile on his face, excited to see his best friend. But the moment he saw the harsh lines of Tinkerbell's somber face, his smile disappeared. "You have to go home."

His brow furrowed. "Unless my father admits to murdering Mil –"

"Killian, your father is dead," Tink explained, seeing the brief surprise that flashed over his face before it fell.

He fell.

His hope; his soul…crushed.

And when he spoke, it was without emotion or conviction or anything good she'd seen growing in him over the past few weeks.

_"I guess that makes me king, then."_


	11. Two Months Later

**Two Months Later**

* * *

"Really, mother?" Emma rolled her eyes. "Are all the frills necessary?"

"Then what would  _you_  have me dress you in, Emma."

"More elegance, less five year old birthday party." Emma answered, blanching at the reflection in the mirror.

"I'm not sure I trust you, Emma…."

"You'll trust me with the future of your kingdom, but you won't trust me with a dress?"

"I can never tell with you," Snow answered in exasperation. "Two months ago, you threw tantrums at the mention of all this –"

"They were  _not_  tantrums," Emma said pointedly, trying to forget exactly what it was that they were.

"Well, they weren't votes of glowing approval, Emma."

"I'll get the dress done, okay?" she replied, trying to slip out of the pink frills. "In plenty of time so that you can approve it before I have to wear it."

Snow eyed her for a few moments before reluctantly nodding. "Okay."

Emma let out a sigh of relief before she realized that she'd just condemned herself to a week of designing and spending more time than usual with the seamstress.

This ball was going to be hell.

* * *

"Regina! Where is my shirt?!" a male voice called out.

The lady rolled her eyes at the screen and muttered something under breath that sounded suspiciously like, "When did I become your servant?"

"What are you muttering?"

"Nothing, my liege," she answered, spotting a shirt that looked fancy enough and throwing it over the wooden panels. "Now, as I was saying, we – er – _you_  – have been invited to a ball in Anselor next week. Apparently it's going to be small, but as you brought up yesterday, we could do with the support. Your father was lax on that account."

"My father was lax on many accounts, Regina."

Killian was fixing his collar as he rounded the dressing screen. "And where the bloody hell is Smee?"

"You've lived without servants for long enough to know how to dress yourself, your majesty," Regina replied, frowning at him. Killian raised an eyebrow.

"I pay you to be my advisor, not my mother. Just as I pay that rat to do everything at my beck and call…"

The door slammed open and a short man with a red hat came bumbling in. "My apologies, my king! The cocks were a bit delayed with their crowing."

"Mr. Smee, if you think that is any excuse for me to not fire you, you have another thing coming," Killian glared. Turning to Regina he finished, "If you'll excuse me my Lady, court will adjourn at one."

Regina gave him one loathing gaze that he didn't see before slipping from the room

"Damn you, Smee," Killian groaned, sinking back onto his bed. "You know how much I abhor spending time with that woman! You shouldn't be fucking asleep when your king needs you."

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty."

"And relax with the Your Majesty, okay?" Killian answered in exasperation. "You're with me twenty-four hours a day. You can call me Killian. We've reached that point."

"Of course, my King," Smee continued, completely ignoring what Killian had just said. "Blue or indigo."

"Who cares," he muttered, pointing aimlessly without looking.

Turns out he picked the blue robe.

"What's this I hear about some ball in Anselor?" Killian asked his manservant as he adjusted the clasp on his collar.

"It's the Princess's birthday and coronation," Smee answered. Killian felt a pang in his gut when he heard that but he tried to shrug it off. He'd known that. He supposed, he just hadn't thought it would be coming up so quick.

He hadn't seen her since their last night together. And that was how it was supposed to be.

But he couldn't deny that sometimes during the night, he would wake hard and aching, yearning for the warmth of her next to him and around him. And he would picture her sparkling green eyes as he drew himself to completion.

Yet one more ghost…

He tried unsuccessfully to shrug the thoughts as he turned to Smee.

"Okay, Mr. Smee," Killian said. "What's on the agenda for today?"

* * *

Regina was frustrated. Things had been progressing so well when she'd seen Emma and Killian together. She'd thought that maybe that would last.

But no. The two of them were too stuck in their titles to even take a leap of faith.

When she'd killed King Andrew, Regina had expected Killian to be stuck at the side of his Princess, and never return to this kingdom. She could've taken over swiftly, easily, almost. Now it was going to take something more.

She couldn't just out rightly kill the King. That would be too obvious, and she would never be accepted. She had to make the people hate their king.

And what better than a sex scandal between royal houses.

Regina smiled to herself. This was going to be a cinch.

* * *

"Tink!" Emma was rushing through the halls frantically, searching for the knight. "Tink, where the fuck are you!"

"Princess!" Tink's eyes widened as she stepped out of the door to the kitchens. Her green eyes were staring at her in horror. "Where  _did_  you learn that language?!"

_Killian._

"My rebellious teenage years," Emma waved it away, only a partial lie, "Details. Now, when is this Prince Baelfire Cassadian arriving?"

"He should arrive before dinner, your majesty."

"Right," Emma frowned. "I'll need to gather some servants. Why am I in charge of this? Where is my mother when you need her?!"

"Don't you mean your father?" Tink pointed out.

"He couldn't schmooze if his life depended on it," Emma answered, "Alright. Are you doing anything?"

Tink barely had time to shake her head before Emma was ploughing on, "Excellent. You know the Cassadians so you're on Prince duty. Why he chose now of all times to visit…" Emma groaned. Five days and counting till the ball.

"Leave it to me, Princess," Tink assured her, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. Emma gave her a sad little smile which Tink returned, before bidding her farewell and walking off in the opposite direction.

Emma had to attend another dress fitting before making sure Baelfire's room was attended to and then find Ruby so that she could get dressed for dinner…

Turns out being a Princess was a lot more tiring than she ever could have thought.

When she finally arrived at dinner, she had to give apologies for being late. She took the last remaining seat at the table beside Prince Baelfire, giving him a small smile.

He was good looking enough, she supposed. Even she had to admit that the smile he gave her was gorgeous.

 _His_  smile was gorgeous too.

She shook her head almost imperceptibly. She had to move on – it had been two months since he left her without a word. As he should.

"Prince Baelfire," Emma greeted when he stood up to pull out her seat, as gentlemen do. Once she was seated, her father too, came waltzing in. Apparently everyone was late.

"Baelfire," Charming said joyously as he took his seat. "I hope your trip was easy."

"Quite," Baelfire answered. "I rode rather than using an escort. I believe my father may prefer his comfort when he makes his way for the ball with my brother. How are preparations coming along?"

Snow looked pointedly at her daughter, who answered smoothly, "As well as can be expected. It is, after all, my first time organizing something of this magnitude."

Her mother looked suitably impressed with her diplomatic answer. Emma felt kind of sick.

Dinner passed quickly. Ruby kept throwing furtive glances between her and Baelfire. Emma was being too polite. It was uncanny. Her green eyes were dulled; the conversation clearly eliciting no excitement from her. But still she laughed.

Ruby didn't talk much, a rarity for her. And when dinner concluded, she chose to leave and prepare Emma's room before heading off to bed. Well…Victor's bed.

But she found herself feeling ill with the way that Emma was acting. She was the perfect Princess.

And it was disgusting.

* * *

If Emma wasn't completely and utterly bored out of her brain, she may have liked Prince Baelfire. Maybe if she was the person she'd been pretending to be for the past few months, she would like Prince Baelfire.

Well, realistically, she kind of did like Prince Baelfire.

He wasn't a complete douche, which Tink had told her earlier but she hadn't believed until she'd met him. So, she was sitting in their seating room, across from the Prince as they played poker. He was having fun as he sat there with his legs folded. Her parents had left them half an hour ago – chauffeur-less. They trusted her  _way_  too much.

"I honestly can't believe you know this game, Princess," Baelfire grinned as she scooped the tokens towards her. They weren't betting. After all, what was there to bet when you pretty much owned the world?

"I can't believe that you're losing," Emma retorted with a smirk. She'd never actually played, but Killian had told her the logistics once when they were in bed…

_Stop. Thinking. About. Him._

When the next round of cards came around, Baelfire gave one look at them and said, "Fold."

"Really?" Emma quirked an eyebrow at them.

"You have a thing with calling lies," Baelfire answered simply, "I'm not going up against that."

Emma frowned. She didn't think she was good at calling out liars. Hmm. Maybe…

"Anyway," he shrugged, rolling back his shoulders and leaning back on his palms. "I'd probably better call it a night."

"I win?"

"For now," he answered with a small smile. "We've still got four nights till the ball."

"You're on," Emma answered, with a confident grin as they both stood up. "You know how to get back to your room?"

"I do," he answered, giving her a small nod, which Emma was surprised by. No bow, just a nod. It was refreshing. "See you tomorrow, Princess."

"Sleep well, Prince Baelfire."

"Bae," he answered from the door. "Call me Bae."

"Bae," she acquiesced, watching him go. She snuffed out the candles and headed back to her bed. She undressed herself and climbed under the covers. Then, and only then, did she allow herself to finally breathe.

And after trying to spend an hour getting to sleep, Emma finally relented and dragged one particular pillow from beneath the several she had on her bed. She tucked her arms around it and burrowed her face into it.

If she tried hard enough, she could remember what he smelt like.


	12. Knockin

"You cannot be serious!" Tink groaned as Emma once more cleared them out. Since Bae and Tink knew each other already, Emma had invited her to their gatherings over the next few nights – if simply to beat them both.

Baelfire slumped backwards in defeat, "Is there really any point in keeping at this?"

"Nope," Emma grinned.

"I haven't seen anyone this good since Killian."

Tink didn't realize what she'd said until after she'd said it, her eyes darting up to Emma. The comment went over Baelfire's head, but Emma simply kept her eyes downcast, the grin falling slowly from her face.

Tink didn't know the particulars of what went on with her best friend and the Princess, but she wasn't about to pry into either of their private lives for the sake of her own curiosity. All she knows is that the day that Killian left, the Princess didn't come out of her room for the entire day. And when she did, it was only to grab some food from the kitchen, her eyes red-rimmed with Ruby clutching her hand.

The next day, she was a Princess.

A proper one this time. Never doing anything wrong. Not even  _bending_  the rules.

And Tink could only assume what had gone on between them was pretty major.

Killian deflected whenever she went around to his kingdom to speak with him. He wasn't big on sharing. Tink could see that neither of them were coping well. But it wasn't in her place to meddle.

And she was growing completely distracted every time Baelfire's knee brushed up against hers. He seemed ignorant of the fact and she dropped her eyes as Bae poured them all another glass of wine.

When she looked up again, Emma was blushing and Bae was grinning. There was clearly some encounter there that she'd just missed. She frowned. A few more games passed. Her and Bae even teamed up on Emma, but she still won.

"Alright," Tink said finally, leaning backwards. "I'm out. This is way too damaging to my ego."

As she sank backwards, she found that her hand was sitting atop Baelfire's and he wasn't trying to move it. Maybe it was the fact that they'd been drinking undiluted wine, but she didn't even blush.

Wait. Did she…did she  _like_  him?

Oh,  _now_  she was blushing.

She stole her hand away abruptly, hurrying, "I'd probably better go to bed."

"Stay for a little while longer, Tink," Emma asked, a pink blush upon her face from the alcohol. She kept glancing from her to Baelfire enthusiastically. "This is fun."

"I'm sorry, Emma," Tink gave her apologies to the Princess, pointedly avoiding looking at Baelfire until she felt his fingers brushing against hers once again.

"C'mon Tink," he said, looking over at her with pleading brown eyes. Crap, she almost gave in. His fingers tightened around hers…

"I have to go." She tore herself away, calling back, "Night!" When she reached the doorway, she hesitated only for a moment.

Maybe if she'd stayed, the next two weeks wouldn't have hurt so much.

* * *

"Emma! Final dress fitting! Ten minutes ago!"

Ruby was rushing around Emma's room like a mad woman. Emma groaned and rolled over, stuffing her head into the pillow as a pang of sickness went through her. She barely made it to her bathroom before she was throwing up down the sink.

"Emma," Ruby said in disapproval, "You need to stop being out all hours of the night. Baelfire's a bad influence."

"He is not," Emma retorted, her knuckles white on the edge of the sink. Breathing down clean air, she proceeded to turn the tap and wash the sink and her mouth before brushing her teeth thoroughly. Ruby helped her into a corset and underdress before her dressmaker was barging in carrying the delicate dress in her arms as though it were made of crystal, not silk.

"I took out the bust as you requested," the woman said quickly, laying the dress on her bed. "Let's get it on you."

Emma stood up straight and let Ruby pull the dress over her head. It was just tight enough over her bust to flow to the ground delicately in layers of navy and cerulean and aquamarine. Ruby stepped back and appraised her as the seamstress clapped her hands together in excitement.

"It's wonderful!" she woman cried.

"You did amazingly. Fauna," Emma enthused, glancing at herself in the mirror, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

"Emma?" Her mother was standing in the doorway, her mouth dropped open in awe. "I can't believe it…you…"

"We'll make a Queen out of you yet," her mother grinned up at her, her eyes shining with love. And if there wasn't such a meticulously put together gown between them, Emma would've rushed to her mother's side.

"Thanks, mum," Emma grinned, feeling a rush of affection for the dark-haired woman.

"But right now," Snow said, her face falling and growing concerned. "The guests have started to arrive."

"But most of them aren't staying here!" Emma exclaimed, already hurrying out of the material.

"Well those who are, decided a day early wouldn't make much of a difference," Snow sighed.

"My my, mother," Emma smirked as Ruby helped her into a less regal dress. "Is that a little weariness I hear in your voice at the prospect of socializing?"

"No," she said heftily, and completely untruthfully. Hmm. Maybe Baelfire had been correct about Emma's lie detecting abilities.

Emma simply grinned, and followed her mother out the door with one last shower of thanks to the seamstress and Ruby.

* * *

"I am not wearing that."

Killian blanched at the clothing on the hanger. "What is this?!" he demanded of Smee, running his hand over the embroidery. "I'll look like a bloody ponce – ooh, it  _is_ soft –"

"With all due respect Your Ma-"

"Ah!"

"… _Killian_ ," Smee said the name as though it physically pained him to do so. Killian seemed satisfied, returning to running his hands over the deep blue coat. "You  _are_  the king. And with that title comes events and clothing that befit your station. You are no longer just a Prince or a knight my liege, you are the King of Mercian, and with that comes certain responsibilities."

"You have your place and I have mine, Smee," Killian said, sounding wise for a minute before he sighed loudly. "I suppose that's it then. Pack it up with the rest of my luggage. I've had correspondence with Robin in Nottingham. It's not too far from the border of Anselor, and that's where we'll be bunking down after the…"

Smee's eyebrows rose and Killian sighed.

"Where we'll be  _retiring_ to after the Princess's Ball."

Smee nodded at his King's correction, pulling down the clothes and folding them lightly before placing them in his rather small bag considering who he was. Thoughtfully, Smee packed it away before hedging a question to the king.

"Sire," Smee enquired. "Why do you never say Princess Emma's name?"

Killian invoked his right as king, and chose to not respond.

* * *

Baelfire and Tink were getting better. Together, they almost beat her.

Tink was finding it easier to be near Baelfire when she didn't let things like… _liking_  him get in the way. He was a Prince. He was going to marry for political reasons. No use getting in between something like that.

Besides, with the way him and Emma were bouncing off each other, it was far more likely they were going to have a union that her and the Prince.

 _A union? What kind of union are_ you _thinking of?_

"Tink, are you okay?" Baelfire enquired curiously.

"I'm fine," she answered, feeling the hot flush spreading across her face. Why was she thinking like that?! Baelfire had already asked Emma to the ball and she'd said she'd go with him. This was not the time nor place. Never was probably the time and place.

Emma however, was watching Tink, intrigued, as she internally warred with herself. As well as the fleeting glances she kept throwing to Baelfire. It was cute, but it would never work.

_Who are you to say it would never work?_

Emma told her conscience to shut up. She'd tried it. She'd thought it would be easy to let  _him_  go, but it was harder than ever. She knew he'd be there tomorrow night. All she had to do was avoid him in a room of three hundred people. It shouldn't be hard…right?

"A glass, Emma?" Bae was holding out a glass of wine but Emma found herself almost sickened by the way it looked kind of like blood.

"I'll pass," she answered with a soft smile before re-dealing their cards as he moved on to Tink's glass.

She didn't really question why something deep inside seemed to give a sigh of relief with something that almost felt a little bit like affection vibrating through her heartstrings…


	13. A Shower of Sparks

"Rise and shine, my king!"

As the sun blazed into his room, Killian gave a disgruntled groan before pulling the cover over his head.

"Breakfast is ready, your carriage is being prepared, and Regina is riding ahead to Sherwood Forest to complete the organisation for tonight."

Killian's head was pounding, and Smee's annoying listing wasn't helping in the slightest. His slow, warning voice – muffled by the covers – came upon Smee's ears.

"Smee, if you don't shut the fuck up this minute, I will sever your tongue from your mouth."

"My Lord," Smee answered with a slightly patronizing sigh, as Killian heard the sound of water pouring. "It is  _not_  my fault you decided to get piss drunk last night and have myself and Lady Regina haul you back to your chambers."

"I do vaguely recall that."

"Lies do not become you, my King."

He groaned and finally threw off the large comforter before blinking rapidly against the light.

"Do you have anything for the punishment of the gods that is my head at the moment?" Killian hissed at Smee, who hurried over with water and some sort of plant in his other hands.

"Recommended by Merlin, my liege," Smee explained.

"Bloody wizard better know what he's doing then," Killian grumbled before chewing the plant quickly and downing the water.

"Alright Mr. Smee," Killian sighed. "Let's get me ready for a ball."

* * *

"Emma, if I were a man, you would be out of that dress in two seconds flat."

Emma rolled her eyes at Ruby.

"Baelfire's gonna have a heart attack."

"Don't say things like that, Ruby," Emma chastised. "You'll make me nervous."

Ruby looked openly doubtful. She hadn't seen Emma nervous in many months.  _BK._

"By the way, what are you wearing?" Emma's brow furrowed as Ruby blushed. "Erm, I've got this dress."

"Show me."

"But I want it to be a surprise!" Ruby practically whined.

"Show me."

Ruby threw up her hands in annoyance. Emma had been a lot less bossy BK too. Within ten minutes she returned from her room with her dress in her arms. Emma quickly told her to get dress, even helping her with her corset which she complained about since Emma wasn't wearing one.

"I don't understand why you refuse now," Ruby pouted at her as she turned to face her friend, the scarlet dress cinching at the waist and falling to the floor. "You used to wear them BK."

Ruby clapped her hand over her mouth, but Emma waved away her slip up. Initially, Ruby had started using BK to reference her behaviour without actually referencing him, but really, they were synonymous. BK….Before Killian.

"Your boobs look fabulous," Emma sighed, knowing that's exactly what Ruby was going for.

"Excellent," she said with a wolfish grin. "Now let's get your hair done before your mother comes breathing down my neck."

* * *

Princess Emma's entrance on the arm of Prince Baelfire went as smoothly as it could. There was a collective gasp when she entered the room and dozens of well-wishers met her at the bottom of the stairs. When the crowds cleared, she was finally able to breathe.

"I still can't believe you wanted to accompany me," Emma grinned shyly at Baelfire before leaning over and kissing him chastely on the cheek. "Thank you."

"My pleasure, Emma." He smiled at her pleasantly before she was inundated with more people. She took their compliments in her stride, politely making small talk, with Baelfire even putting in his two cents worth a couple of times. She almost found it easy.

When they subsided, Baelfire's eyes widened at a group of people standing by the doorway. He made an apology to Emma about seeing some friends, but she ended up going with him anyway.

"I wrote the guest list," Emma grinned, spotting who he was looking at. She saw the back of Tink and Robin's heads and nodded. She could chat with them no problem.

What she wasn't expecting was that when they parted, Robin greeting Bae enthusiastically and Bae leaning in for a hug with Tink, Emma would spot someone she  _really_  wasn't expecting.

Killian Jones. Eyeing her up and down with a smirk tugging at his lips.

"You weren't on my list." Was the first thing Emma said, the smile falling from her face.

Killian's smirk faltered. Did she not want him here?

"I confirmed my attendance with your mother…"

"That explains it," Emma nodded, with a look in her eyes that said she'd be having words with her mother later.

_Gods she's beautiful._

Killian couldn't help the thought as it ran, unbidden, through his head. She wore the colours of the ocean in a dress, simple, but complex at the same time. This woman was a walking juxtaposition of innocence and sin, the way it flowed around her curves but betrayed nothing to onlookers.

But it betrayed everything to him.

"You two know each other?" Baelfire asked in surprise.

"Yeah, mate," Killian took Baelfire's hand with a grin that didn't quite meet his eyes. "This past year when I wasn't home much, I was serving King David as a knight."

"They allowed you?"

"Well I wasn't going to go home," Killian shrugged.

"Shouldn't you be mingling with all the others of your status?" Emma's words came out as harshly as she intended them. Bae raised an eyebrow because he'd never heard Emma angry.

"No offence Princess," Killian answered coolly, almost revelling in how annoyed Emma was. "But I prefer hanging around people who aren't a hundred."

"Are you calling my father old?"

"I'm calling myself young, Princess," Killian replied smoothly. "Don't put words in my mouth."

Her eyes narrowed as Tink interrupted and struck up a conversation, completely unrelated and obvious, about the weather as they headed into winter. A little while later, Emma excused herself, knowing that it was just an excuse to clear her head after standing in the presence of Killian for twenty minutes.

She walked the trail out of the ballroom and into the gardens. Whilst the initial setup had been decorated for guests, Emma made her way through the maze and into the darkness until she found the gate that led to her favourite place by the pond. With a grateful sigh, she sank onto the bench ungracefully, and for just that moment, she relaxed.

"Hello, Princess."

When Emma saw him, she shuffled to the edge of the seat whilst he snapped the gate closed. Damn, she shouldn't have ever mentioned her favourite place to hide out in their pillow talk. Walking across the garden, she found herself trying to get as far away from him without him noticing, but she was already leaning into the harsh metal at the end of the bench and was left with nowhere to go.

But she didn't respond verbally because she was looking at the way his eyes were taking in her body and she couldn't tell if the darkness was because of the night or because of his dilating pupils.

A shiver ran through her when Emma remembered the last time his eyes had been like that.

_…_ _pushing her down into the bed, he trailed his hands over her curves, edging the flimsy material and cupping her breasts even as she arched into his hands…_

She bit down on her lip nervously, trying to calm her thoughts despite the way he proceeded to sit down next to her, his leg and arm flush against hers.

"Are you having a good time, Your Highness?"

Killian raised an eyebrow at her that she tried to ignore. Of course. He had a one track mind. He'd come for her. For what he wanted to do to her right now.

"No," she stated abruptly, standing up and trying to get away from him. How dare he come back now and want her when he was the one who left her in the first place?!

His hand wrapped around her wrist.

He was warm.

He smelt the same. Of rum and salt and the sea.

Gods, she wanted him.

The metal bars of the garden fence were closing in upon her back. She felt the hedge peeking through and tickling her neck as Killian advanced, the hand clutching her wrist, moving up to thread through her fingers and pull her hand up beside her head. She tried to use her left hand to keep him away but he was closing in on her.

And to be honest, she wasn't really trying.

"Were you trying to flaunt yourself to every man there, Princess?" Killian whispered as he ran his nose along her collarbone, memorising every contour of her body. "You are a siren…"

_But I couldn't hold you, could I?_

His hands were wandering over her covered breasts, pressing through the thin material. Killian could feel her nipples hardening beneath her dress. With a smirk, he whispered, "You're not wearing the proper undergarments, Princess."

"Bite me," she retorted, earning a grin from him as he leant back down to her neck, sucking and licking and murmuring, "Are you sure, Princess? Everyone will see…"

"What do you want, Jones," she answered, eyes looking at him directly.

"Well if you just want to get straight to it," he shrugged. Using his right hand, he pulled up her skirts, and ran his fingers along her thigh.

"What are you doing?" Emma finally murmured as he ran his lips over her neck, his scruff sparking her skin. Her eyes widened as she felt him skim the top of her panties.

"Reminding you," he whispered throatily, before tugging aside the piece of material, and sweeping his fingers through her wetness. Emma felt him smirk against her neck.

"My my, Emma," he breathed into her ear. "So Bae's simply not doing it for you, then?"

That infuriated her! That he would dare say such a thing! When it had only been two months since they…

"Say that you want me," Killian ordered suddenly, still teasing around her entrance.

Emma merely stared defiantly at him, not moving until he brushed his fingers over her clit and her hips involuntarily shuddered forwards towards his hand.

"Say it," he whispered, leaning into her, "Say that you want me!"

But if it was all the control she had, Emma wouldn't say it. She would never admit it to him. Despite the pleasure that was rolling through her as he slowly slid one finger, then two into her, she wouldn't say it.

"Does Baelfire know how you like to be fucked?" Killian hissed, the hand that wasn't plunging into her, wrapping around her back as she arched into him reluctantly, overcome by the relief of feeling pleasure by his hand and not her own. "Does he know how rough you like it?" A third finger joined and Emma had to stifle a cry as he relentlessly pushed her towards her climax.

"He's not me, love," Killian continued, looking up at her face that was thrown back in ecstasy. "He doesn't know who you are."

"He doesn't know how to make you come," Killian breathed, almost inaudibly, but Emma heard it, and the simple word triggered her release, spasming around Killian's fingers as her mouth opened in a silent scream.

Her head fell back against the metal fence as she felt Killian slowly pushing her through her high until she was breathless and limp, the only thing keeping her upright, his hand behind her back.

She felt him remove his fingers and her underwear shift back into place, but when she opened her eyes and looked down, the lust in his eyes hadn't eased one bit. He was holding his wet and sticky fingers up to her and her eyes widened as he said in a tone that didn't beg questioning, "Suck them."

Emma opened her mouth, if only to see his reaction. He quirked an eyebrow but let her lave her tongue over his fingers before finally taking them into her mouth fully, sucking at them as she would…

He felt his pants grow even tighter than they had through their activities. But after that…he wasn't sure he trusted himself. He didn't want her walking back to the ball with a limp.

And so, he stepped back, and Emma breathed a sigh of relief. Good. They could pretend like this never –

"I'm not done with you yet, love," Killian called, turning to watch her leave the peaceful garden, "Remember that."

But Emma didn't answer and simply walked out, trying not to think about the only thought in her head. That even after he'd walked out on her without a word, he could come back, jealousy radiating from his being. And somehow...

_She still wanted him._

* * *

The end of the ball couldn't come soon enough. Emma was frustrated and guilt ridden and all she wanted to do was sleep. When people had left and it was just the few staying it the castle who remained behind, Emma bid her farewells and finally gave into the nausea that had been plaguing her since she'd glimpsed the food that had been brought out in her absence.

Bae kissed her hand lightly, Tink and Ruby hugged her tightly, but Emma just wanted to go back to her room. She tried to get the dress off delicately, but in the end she practically tore it off her body in her eager ness to get out of it. To get out from under her skin…where he still lingered…

She washed herself quickly before slipping into her nightgown, but it was as she did so, that she realised her body was changing. She'd realised her breasts had grown, hence why she asked Fauna to take out her bust. But not…

Nausea. Vomiting.

Almost three months since she'd last bled.

Emma walked cautiously over to the mirror, as though she were afraid of what she would see. With a furrowed brow, she pulled up her nightgown to her waist. For a moment, she thought it could've been a trick of the light.

But when she ran her hand over her slightly protruding stomach, she knew that she was done for.


	14. Careful Child

Emma was standing out on her balcony. Her thoughts elsewhere as she stared out over the forest, to the far off mountains, to the lake that led to the sea…

Would it hurt?

_It would hurt him. That little life growing inside of me._

But he'd never know his father.

 _I'll be ruined_.

She couldn't marry Baelfire. Not like this.

_Then why did you agree?_

She'd have to hide it. She'd give it away if she had to.

_Killian can never know._

_Baelfire can never know._

_My parents can never know._

"This is between you and me my little Princeling," Emma whispered so that no one could hear. "Just you and me against the world."

* * *

**_Earlier that day_ **

Tink rolled her eyes as she waited in the throne room side by side with Robin. Bae was standing next to his brother on the other side of the room, both of them discussing something in harsh tones. In the centre of the room, King Rumplestiltskin and King David were deep in discussion.

"Why can't everyone just speak at a normal level," Tink hissed.

"It's terrible," Robin answered. "I was called here specifically for this. I have guests at Locksley at the moment…"

"Lady Regina?" Tink quirked an eyebrow and Robin looked straight ahead pointedly.

"Shut up," he murmured.

The voices in the middle of the room began to rise. It was clear that Rumplestiltskin and David were arguing over something. David had yet to sign the treaty.

"I can't just simply offer such promises for such trivialities, Rumplestiltskin," David was muttering. "My knights have served fealty to my kingdom. You have our support should it be war upon you. But not in any other circumstance."

"Then if you will not give me this, King David," the man answered stonily, "What is our bargain?"

David seemed confused for a moment before Rumplestiltskin's eyes glanced around the room beadily, finally settling on the Princess, sitting on her throne and leaning over her arm to talk to Ruby.

"An amendment to our agreement, Kind David," Rumplestiltskin said, his eyes locked on the princess. "I want your daughter to marry my youngest son."

The room went quiet as David's mouth dropped open, searching out Emma's face. The wheels were turning in her head, you could almost see it. Cassadia bordered their land, it would be dangerous to make them an enemy. And it was an advantageous position. You could almost see her shoulders straighten as she shot back into Princess mode and came to her logically sound conclusion. Her face was blank as she slowly, but surely, inclined her head.

 _Yes_.

David's brow furrowed, and it looked as though he wasn't going to give an answer. So Emma saved him the trouble.

"I will marry Prince Baelfire," Emma answered Rumplestiltskin, keeping her head held high and her eyes cold. "This will cement the bond between our lands with no further need for negotiations. My father's alliance remains sound and in return, I will marry your son."

Baelfire's mouth dropped open in shock. His eyes darted straight to Tink, who dropped hers to the floor the minute the brown connected with green.

 _Told you so_ , her conscience berated her.  _You shouldn't like him._

The fact that she had been the first person he sought when that bombshell dropped didn't even cross her mind. She wouldn't entertain such thoughts. Not now. There was no point.

She could only watch on as the final alliance was signed by the two kings, and Emma and Bae eyed each other sympathetically.

 _I'm sorry,_  Baelfire murmured to the Princess, and she took his hand gently with a nod, mouthing back,  _I know._

And with two stamps of approval, their fates were sealed.

* * *

Emma was still leaning out on the balcony when she heard her mother saying her name. She didn't want to turn around. She didn't want hear mother's pity.

She didn't want to cry.

"Emma." The voice came gently and she couldn't help but turn around. Her mother's deep green eyes gazed up at her lovingly, and in that moment, Emma felt about five years old, throwing her arms around her mother, and finally letting the tears fall.

"Why did you have to grow up," Snow whispered as she ran her hand over her daughter's golden locks. "To be so very brave."

"I'm not brave," Emma whispered. If she was brave, she would've stood up to the alliance. She would have told Rumplestiltskin to shove his parchment where the sun doesn't shine. She would've told Killian she loved him. She would be able to tell her mother about her child…

"You are," Snow answered, clutching her tighter. "And you've shown that you will be an amazing queen."

Emma felt a small smile creeping onto her face despite her tears. Maybe she would be, but it didn't mean that she wanted it.

She would be queen.

But her son…

Her son would never have this life.

Because Emma was going to give him up.

He deserved his best chance.

* * *

"That was the most horrible thing I have ever seen in my life," Robin exclaimed as he entered Locksley Manor. Tink was trailing behind him, rubbing at her temples as a headache built in the back of her mind. This day had been hell, and she was quite willing to find a bed and sleep in it.

She'd needed to get away from the castle. She wouldn't be able to stand being amongst all that a moment longer.

She murmured her agreement to Robin before apologising for her illness, and heading off to bed. Robin on the other hand, merely rolled his eyes as he ran into the Lady Regina in the foyer. She hadn't been looking where she was going yet still managed to seem affronted when she stumbled.

"Really, Robin?"

"My apologies, Lady Regina," he bowed almost contemptuously as the lady scowled at him. "I trust your stay has been more than satisfactory."

"Well you haven't been here, so it has exceeded expectations," Regina answered, trying to get around him.

"Now wait just a moment, my lady," Robin said shortly, holding out an arm to prevent her from moving. Regina sighed impatiently. She was in the middle of a controlling spell and without Rumplestiltskin's heart, it was taking a grand amount of energy that she shouldn't be wasting speaking to the knight. "You've been rather short with me these past few days."

"Really?" she raised her eyebrows mockingly.

"Have I done something to offend you?"

_I need to end this spell before Stiltskin catches on to what I'm doing!_

"Not at all, Sir Locksley," Regina answered, sidling closer to him with a sickly sweet smile plastered upon her face. "I merely have things to do."

"What are you up to, my Lady?" he eyes her suspiciously, his curiosity peaked.

"That's for me to know," she answered, pushing aside his arm but making sure to slide her hand delicately down his wrist and palm as she did. It worked; his eyes glazed over momentarily, "And you  _not_  to find out."

And Robin watched her go intently, the question of King Killian's advisor still the greatest mystery of all time.

And he'd never been very good at letting a good mystery go unsolved.

* * *

**Chapter 15: You Are Gone**

* * *

A/N: So I just bought Season One on iTunes.

OHMYGOODNESS! HENRY IS SO LITTLE AND ADORABLE! I WANT ONE!

And, you guys won't believe this. The first image we see directly from Henry's fairytale book, is one of flying monkeys. And I zoomed in on the words and the story is The Wizard of Oz.

Like, legitly, were they literally foreshadowing season 3 in the Pilot? I am beyond words right now.

Anywho, this took me all day. But it's Killian centric! Yays! Thank you for your reviews! I read them all even if I don't reply. I have a massive headache sahh, sleepy time for me. =] xx

* * *

_**Chapter Fifteen:** You are Gone_

* * *

**Four Years Ago**

_"_ _C'mon brother!" Liam grinned widely at Killian. "That sword isn't going to wield itself!"_

_"_ _I really just don't want to hurt you Liam," Killian answered, his arms out as he swung his sword around carelessly as he showed off._

_"_ _I'd like to see you try," the Crown Prince goaded his brother who took the challenge and leapt. Swords clashed and feet stepped and the brothers laughed. They were too well matched for either to truly win, and so after twenty minutes, they discarded their swords and laughed with each other over a duel well battled. Until their father came out sombrely with a letter in his hands._

_"_ _Ah, father," Liam said, his voice trying to be friendly but not succeeding. King Andrew almost completely ignored Killian as he met them in the grounds. "What can we do for you?"_

_"_ _I need you to meet with the council in an hour. There are matters of state to attend to."_

_"_ _Of course, father," Liam gave Andrew a nod before his father walked away._

_"_ _And he's still not acknowledging my existence," Killian sighed, when it was just he and his brother._

_"_ _You look too much like mother, Killian," Liam murmured, before hugging his brother with one arm over his shoulder. Killian's body sagged in disappointment and grief as his brother mentioned their mother. It had been almost a year._

_"_ _C'mon," Killian finally muttered, "Let's go back to the castle."_

* * *

**_One Year Ago_ **

_"_ _I don't know what your fucking problem is Andrew!"_

_"_ _Don't you dare use that language with me, boy," King Andrew threatened his son. "If you want to throw away your life to some other king, be my guest! You could have a good life here – lead our knights. Serve me, serve your brother."_

_"_ _So, that's my life then?" Killian argued back. "Train your guards, eat, sleep, make a good marriage someday and be your pawn for the rest of my days."_

_"_ _That is the life you were born into," Andrew hissed. "Be a man and deal with it."_

_"_ _Oh, like you're dealing with mother's passing."_

_Andrews hand left a stinging mark on Killian's face, anger raging in his eyes whilst Killian's were filled with pure loathing._

_"_ _It's been four years, Andrew," Killian hissed at his father._

_"_ _And you've done nothing with your live in those four years. So leave us."_

_"_ _I will," Killian answered, walking away from his father. "And don't expect me to come back."_

* * *

**Six Months Ago**

_"_ _We farewell the life of William Andrew Jones, Crown Prince of Mercian. May the gods watch over him in his haven where he goes to join those who have passed before."_

_He didn't look up through the entire ceremony. Even as the crowds grew less, and it was him and his father on opposite sides of the funeral pyre, flames circling between them. It was minutes before his father left but Killian stood there for hours as his brother followed his mother into ashes._

_It was hours later, when he walked into the castle that she walked past him in the seating room. She'd been haunting his dreams, so far beyond his reach that it hurt him to see her. It hurt him to talk to her. And when she spoke, it was like salt in freshly made wounds._

_"_ _I'm so sorry, Killian," Emma said, catching him standing by the bookshelf, gazing out the window without really seeing._

_"_ _Why?" he asked too distracted to focus on her. "You didn't kill him." No. The stupid mission that Andrew sent Liam on – to go and find that stupid deadly poison – that was what killed Liam. Andrew was the man who killed Liam . Maybe if Killian had been there…maybe things would be different…_

_"_ _I'm still sorry," Emma answered. "And I'm sorry about what it means for you. I know how much you wanted to be a knight."_

_"_ _Yeah," he whispered, his head falling, he turned to the window, trying to force the tears back. He would be. But one day now, he'd have to take his father's place upon the throne of Mercian._

* * *

**Four Months Ago**

_Milah was climbing off him, already fixing the dress she hadn't bothered to take off in their activities._

_"_ _I love you, Milah," Killian said, watching her from his perch on his bed. His shirt was unbuttoned, pants pushed down enough for her needs, but other than that, there was no evidence of what they had just done._

_"_ _I know," she answered quickly, leaning over to peck him on the lips and hurry out the door. Without any further words, she was gone._

_Killian ignored the fact that he didn't quite believe Milah's words. And let himself go back to sleep for another few hours before he knew he had to go out and train._

_He gave her pleasure every night, of course he loved her. That was what she wanted. He fulfilled her needs. He gave her love. Every night._

_But when she came back to him that night, when he was lying in bed with her, murmuring sweet nothings in her ear and whispering words of beauty over her skin, she revealed something more to him._

_"_ _It's just fucking, Killian," Milah murmured in response to his words as he kissed down her body and across her stomach. "People like you and me, we don't make love."_

_"_ _We don't?"_

_"_ _We don't need love," Milah answered with a grin, rolling him onto his back and kissing him fiercely. "We just need this."_

* * *

**Present Day**

_Killian felt a hand stroking his brow as the sun warmed his face. He'd slept most of the day through and the afternoon glow lit his room. It wasn't that delicate motion that awoke him, it was the soft humming that graced his ears._

_"_ _Mother?" Killian stirred, his eyes blinking open and searching to find a beautiful woman looking down at him. She sat upon the edge of his mattress, not a day older than when he had last seen her._

_"_ _Killian," she smiled brilliantly, her blue eyes that mirrored his sparkling with a surprising mirth. "My boy."_

_Underneath her gaze, Killian could've been five years old again, waking from scarlet fever to find his mother's loving eyes welcoming him back to lucidity. But this was far from lucid._

_"_ _You're dead," Killian's voice broke as he spoke._

_"_ _Yes indeed," Queen Allina whispered. "Aren't we all a little dead?"_

_"_ _That remains to be seen," Killian answered, struggling out of his covers, finding that he was still completely dressed in his gear from last night._

_"_ _Come now, Killian," Allina smiled sadly. "You know as well as I that you've been living in an abysmal state."_

_"_ _No I'm not."_

_"_ _Oh, your stubbornness, child," Allina laughed. "She is your light."_

_Killian's brow furrowed. Was she talking about Emma?_

_"_ _It's okay, you know," his mother murmured as she stood up. "It's okay to let yourself love her."_

_"_ _I don't know what it is to love, mother," Killian answered, a pained expression upon his face as she looked down at him._

_"_ _You do," she whispered, with a soft smile, leaning down to brush her lips against his forehead. "Look beyond your past. You do."_

* * *

When Killian truly awoke from a plague of dreams, it was with a relieved kind of sadness. He could almost feel his mother still with him, but she was gone. Five years now, she'd been gone.

He could hear Liam's laughter in his head. Six months gone.

Milah's lips against his ear. Four months gone.

His father's silence. Two months gone.

_Emma._

"Emma," he whispered to the silence of the room. She lived. She would live.

A knock came at his door and a soft feminine voice came from the other side. "Can I come in, Killian?"

"Yeah," he answered, and she opened the wooden door with a soft push. Killian's brow furrowed, she looked as though she'd been crying.

"What's wrong, Tink? What happened at court this morning?"

She didn't answer him, simply sitting next to him on the edge of his bed, so very similar to how his mother had in his dream. With a querying look, he shuffled aside to give her space, and she crawled up to sit next to him, grabbing a pillow and holding onto it as though it were her dearest possession.

"I'm not sure you're going to like what happened," she finally said, glancing over at him apprehensively.

"Oh?"

Tink was quiet for a few moments before she said quietly, "Princess Emma is betrothed to Prince Baelfire."

Killian didn't say anything, leaning back into the wood of his bedstead. He sat there with Tink by his side in almost silence for many hours until he thought that she had abandoned her thoughts and fallen asleep.

Only then, did Killian crawl out the other side of the bed. He closed the bathroom door behind him, leaving Tink alone. Tink tried not to hear the smashing of glass as Killian threw his hand against the mirror, just as she tried to ignore the muffled sobs that faded off slowly into silence as the afternoon turned inevitably into night.


	15. You are Gone

**Four Years Ago**

_"_ _C'mon brother!" Liam grinned widely at Killian. "That sword isn't going to wield itself!"_

_"_ _I really just don't want to hurt you Liam," Killian answered, his arms out as he swung his sword around carelessly as he showed off._

_"_ _I'd like to see you try," the Crown Prince goaded his brother who took the challenge and leapt. Swords clashed and feet stepped and the brothers laughed. They were too well matched for either to truly win, and so after twenty minutes, they discarded their swords and laughed with each other over a duel well battled. Until their father came out sombrely with a letter in his hands._

_"_ _Ah, father," Liam said, his voice trying to be friendly but not succeeding. King Andrew almost completely ignored Killian as he met them in the grounds. "What can we do for you?"_

_"_ _I need you to meet with the council in an hour. There are matters of state to attend to."_

_"_ _Of course, father," Liam gave Andrew a nod before his father walked away._

_"_ _And he's still not acknowledging my existence," Killian sighed, when it was just he and his brother._

_"_ _You look too much like mother, Killian," Liam murmured, before hugging his brother with one arm over his shoulder. Killian's body sagged in disappointment and grief as his brother mentioned their mother. It had been almost a year._

_"_ _C'mon," Killian finally muttered, "Let's go back to the castle."_

* * *

**_One Year Ago_ **

_"_ _I don't know what your fucking problem is Andrew!"_

_"_ _Don't you dare use that language with me, boy," King Andrew threatened his son. "If you want to throw away your life to some other king, be my guest! You could have a good life here – lead our knights. Serve me, serve your brother."_

_"_ _So, that's my life then?" Killian argued back. "Train your guards, eat, sleep, make a good marriage someday and be your pawn for the rest of my days."_

_"_ _That is the life you were born into," Andrew hissed. "Be a man and deal with it."_

_"_ _Oh, like you're dealing with mother's passing."_

_Andrews hand left a stinging mark on Killian's face, anger raging in his eyes whilst Killian's were filled with pure loathing._

_"_ _It's been four years, Andrew," Killian hissed at his father._

_"_ _And you've done nothing with your live in those four years. So leave us."_

_"_ _I will," Killian answered, walking away from his father. "And don't expect me to come back."_

* * *

**Six Months Ago**

_"_ _We farewell the life of William Andrew Jones, Crown Prince of Mercian. May the gods watch over him in his haven where he goes to join those who have passed before."_

_He didn't look up through the entire ceremony. Even as the crowds grew less, and it was him and his father on opposite sides of the funeral pyre, flames circling between them. It was minutes before his father left but Killian stood there for hours as his brother followed his mother into ashes._

_It was hours later, when he walked into the castle that she walked past him in the seating room. She'd been haunting his dreams, so far beyond his reach that it hurt him to see her. It hurt him to talk to her. And when she spoke, it was like salt in freshly made wounds._

_"_ _I'm so sorry, Killian," Emma said, catching him standing by the bookshelf, gazing out the window without really seeing._

_"_ _Why?" he asked too distracted to focus on her. "You didn't kill him." No. The stupid mission that Andrew sent Liam on – to go and find that stupid deadly poison – that was what killed Liam. Andrew was the man who killed Liam . Maybe if Killian had been there…maybe things would be different…_

_"_ _I'm still sorry," Emma answered. "And I'm sorry about what it means for you. I know how much you wanted to be a knight."_

_"_ _Yeah," he whispered, his head falling, he turned to the window, trying to force the tears back. He would be. But one day now, he'd have to take his father's place upon the throne of Mercian._

* * *

**Four Months Ago**

_Milah was climbing off him, already fixing the dress she hadn't bothered to take off in their activities._

_"_ _I love you, Milah," Killian said, watching her from his perch on his bed. His shirt was unbuttoned, pants pushed down enough for her needs, but other than that, there was no evidence of what they had just done._

_"_ _I know," she answered quickly, leaning over to peck him on the lips and hurry out the door. Without any further words, she was gone._

_Killian ignored the fact that he didn't quite believe Milah's words. And let himself go back to sleep for another few hours before he knew he had to go out and train._

_He gave her pleasure every night, of course he loved her. That was what she wanted. He fulfilled her needs. He gave her love. Every night._

_But when she came back to him that night, when he was lying in bed with her, murmuring sweet nothings in her ear and whispering words of beauty over her skin, she revealed something more to him._

_"_ _It's just fucking, Killian," Milah murmured in response to his words as he kissed down her body and across her stomach. "People like you and me, we don't make love."_

_"_ _We don't?"_

_"_ _We don't need love," Milah answered with a grin, rolling him onto his back and kissing him fiercely. "We just need this."_

* * *

**Present Day**

_Killian felt a hand stroking his brow as the sun warmed his face. He'd slept most of the day through and the afternoon glow lit his room. It wasn't that delicate motion that awoke him, it was the soft humming that graced his ears._

_"_ _Mother?" Killian stirred, his eyes blinking open and searching to find a beautiful woman looking down at him. She sat upon the edge of his mattress, not a day older than when he had last seen her._

_"_ _Killian," she smiled brilliantly, her blue eyes that mirrored his sparkling with a surprising mirth. "My boy."_

_Underneath her gaze, Killian could've been five years old again, waking from scarlet fever to find his mother's loving eyes welcoming him back to lucidity. But this was far from lucid._

_"_ _You're dead," Killian's voice broke as he spoke._

_"_ _Yes indeed," Queen Allina whispered. "Aren't we all a little dead?"_

_"_ _That remains to be seen," Killian answered, struggling out of his covers, finding that he was still completely dressed in his gear from last night._

_"_ _Come now, Killian," Allina smiled sadly. "You know as well as I that you've been living in an abysmal state."_

_"_ _No I'm not."_

_"_ _Oh, your stubbornness, child," Allina laughed. "She is your light."_

_Killian's brow furrowed. Was she talking about Emma?_

_"_ _It's okay, you know," his mother murmured as she stood up. "It's okay to let yourself love her."_

_"_ _I don't know what it is to love, mother," Killian answered, a pained expression upon his face as she looked down at him._

_"_ _You do," she whispered, with a soft smile, leaning down to brush her lips against his forehead. "Look beyond your past. You do."_

* * *

When Killian truly awoke from a plague of dreams, it was with a relieved kind of sadness. He could almost feel his mother still with him, but she was gone. Five years now, she'd been gone.

He could hear Liam's laughter in his head. Six months gone.

Milah's lips against his ear. Four months gone.

His father's silence. Two months gone.

_Emma._

"Emma," he whispered to the silence of the room. She lived. She would live.

A knock came at his door and a soft feminine voice came from the other side. "Can I come in, Killian?"

"Yeah," he answered, and she opened the wooden door with a soft push. Killian's brow furrowed, she looked as though she'd been crying.

"What's wrong, Tink? What happened at court this morning?"

She didn't answer him, simply sitting next to him on the edge of his bed, so very similar to how his mother had in his dream. With a querying look, he shuffled aside to give her space, and she crawled up to sit next to him, grabbing a pillow and holding onto it as though it were her dearest possession.

"I'm not sure you're going to like what happened," she finally said, glancing over at him apprehensively.

"Oh?"

Tink was quiet for a few moments before she said quietly, "Princess Emma is betrothed to Prince Baelfire."

Killian didn't say anything, leaning back into the wood of his bedstead. He sat there with Tink by his side in almost silence for many hours until he thought that she had abandoned her thoughts and fallen asleep.

Only then, did Killian crawl out the other side of the bed. He closed the bathroom door behind him, leaving Tink alone. Tink tried not to hear the smashing of glass as Killian threw his hand against the mirror, just as she tried to ignore the muffled sobs that faded off slowly into silence as the afternoon turned inevitably into night.


	16. Live Your Life and Leave it

"Why is nothing happening! I know they fucked in the garden….did no one see them?" Regina was yelling at the person in her magical window as she walked through her room angrily. They were rolling their eyes.

"You need proof, Regina," the man responded. "Hearsay won't do. Not when you're dealing with the Crown Princess of Anselor and the King of Mercian. It's just going to make me look bad and lose you your job."

"But you're going to be King –"

"Of a kingdom that isn't exactly on good terms after you just made my father blackmail a marriage out of the King of Anselor."

"You can keep your sass to yourself Graham!" Regina growled. "Maybe do some whispering in your little brother's ear. He's not likely going to want to marry Princess Emma if she's not pure."

"Again," Prince Graham answered, "You can't prove that."

"Doesn't need to be proved," Regina answered sharply, "Sow the seeds of doubt in your brother's mind and I'll have a little chat with Merlin about a fertility potion that I can slip Killian and sow a different kind of seed."

"And how do you know they're ever going to see each other again?" Graham rolled his eyes at Regina's meddling. At least his own meddling was less intrusive. He wanted a love story, not a story of wrath and ruin.

"The engagement tour," Regina grinned with a smile creeping across her face.

* * *

"The engagement tour?" Baelfire's face was screwed up in distaste.

"The engagement tour," Emma sighed, as she sat in their meeting room with her head in between her hands, bent over onto her knees. "We go around to the outlying counties and the surrounding countries. It's basically a suck up tour so that nobody is going to say no to the marriage. We give gifts and prove what good rulers we're going to be, then we come back and we marry. My mother, undoubtedly will do the arrangements."

"So," Bae frowned. "We effectively have three weeks to get used to the fact that we're going to have to spend the rest of our lives with each other."

"That's what an arranged marriage is, Bae," Emma groaned as she stood up in frustration, "Don't pretend like you weren't schooled to expect this since birth."

"I was," Bae answered from his perch on the coffee table. "I guess I just thought I'd have more time."

"We have three weeks," Emma answered, as she glanced out the window. "It'll have to be enough."

"We can do this, Emma," Bae said, approaching her slowly as she stood by the window. "I know my father was horrible in suggesting this, but we work well together."

"I guess we do," Emma answered, as his hand found itself on her shoulder. She placed her hand atop his, if only to offer a foreign kind of comfort that really wasn't comforting at all.

* * *

It was a few days later when Killian arrived back in Mercian, greeted by a servant with a letter requesting their hospitality the next week as a part of the royal engagement tour.

"Regina, take care of the preparations," Killian ordered carelessly, pulling off his gloves as he walked into the foyer.

"Of course my liege," Regina answered, a smirk playing at the edge of her lips. Easy. This was going to be easy. Just put Emma right next door to him and the sexual tension would take care of itself.

Killian went straight to his room. Business could resume tomorrow. Tink followed behind him, splitting to go and find her usual guest room. She didn't bother calling the servants, but simply got changed into some soft cotton pants and a shirt before doing the work herself. She found her sheets and made her bed, bathed herself and then headed down to the kitchens for food.

The servants were all grumbling about how the King refused to eat dinner, so Tink saved them any trouble and grabbed some cold meats and cheese and headed back upstairs to face the man beyond the closed door.

She opened the door slowly in case he was in the middle of something, but he was simply standing out on his balcony, leaning over the railing with his eyes pointing out to sea. Tink dropped the food on his desk before following him. She leant back on the railing next to him and began, "So I hear Robin's got a thing for Regina."

Killian quirked his eyebrow up at her, but the action didn't quite behold the amusement it used to. "Is that so?"

"Mhmm," she answered. "I can see it happening."

"It's not up to us to decide."

_Right. Romance. Poor choice of conversation. Tink you idiot!_

"I brought you food."

"I'm not hungry, Tink," he said, turning his eyes back to the distance.

"Neither am I, but I still need to eat," she answered and Killian turned over to look at her curiously. Narrowing his eyes, he tried to figure out why Tink had bags under her eyes and wouldn't be hungry. That girl adored food.

He followed her inside and sat down at his desk. She grabbed an apple and sank onto the edge of his bed. Leaning back, Killian swung on the legs of his chair and wondered aloud, "So, what's wrong with you?"

"With me?" Tink feigned innocence. "Nothing."

"I'm a King, not an idiot, Lady Bell," Killian answered, proving his impatience by using her title. Tink took a bite of her apple, expecting Killian to give it up but, as usual, he didn't. Finally, she gave a great sigh.

"You and Emma, right?"

Killian nodded slowly with wary eyes. If this wasn't going anywhere…did Tink seriously have that little tact?

"I guess I kinda had hopes for me and Bae," she admitted finally, her eyes downcast. "But they're gone now."

Killian pulled his seat back down to the floor, and then his head was in his hands, "Leave me, Tink."

She frowned but stood up to leave. He couldn't wallow forever and neither could she.

"Do you want me to…find someone to take care of your needs?" Tink murmured hesitantly, thinking it might make him feel better.

Killian simply shook his head. A whore wasn't going to make me feel any better. Not when all he wanted was her.

Tink shut the door and left him to his thoughts.

_Gone now. She's gone now._

He repeated it every night in his head before he went to sleep, but when she showed up with her fiancé on his doorstep a week later, it was hard to remember that he'd grieved for her at all.

Because she was still so…so alive.

* * *

"Jeez, this place has changed," Bae muttered as he peeked out the window. "It's so dark out."

"That's the weather, Baelfire," Emma rolled her eyes, "I doubt the King can be in control of that."

"He could do something with the gardens," Bae answered. Emma groaned inwardly. One week and she already was regretting her decision. Bae was nice. He was cute and polite and a complete gentleman.

Which also kind of made him boring in Emma's eyes.

But so far, they'd managed okay. They'd dealt with the fawning of royals and the excitement of the peasantry. They'd won over the favour of their own people, and now it was time to move on to the surrounding kingdoms.

Mercian.

And trying to win over King Killian Jones with their current tactics, would most likely prove counter-productive.

As the carriage pulled to a halt, the footman came around and opened the door, assisting Emma down closely followed by Bae. She ascended the stairs with her arm linked into his. At the grand doors they were met by Killian's right hand, Lady Regina, awaiting them with a forced smile upon her face.

"Welcome to Mercian, Prince Baelfire and Princess Emma," Regina greeted. "We hope you will enjoy your time with us. Our king, unfortunately is occupied until dinner, but he will join you in the dining hall at six. We have several servants here to attend to your needs. Come with me; I'll guide you to your rooms."

They walked in silence through the fairly empty halls of Killian's castle, their arms slipping down to grasp at each other's hands. It was a habit they'd picked up in the last week. PDAs were good.

Regina directed Emma to a large bedroom down a long hall before sending Baelfire further down the hallway to the end where his bedroom lay. Emma ventured into her room curiously.

It was delicately furnished but appeared as though it hadn't been lived in for a while. Either way, when Emma sank down on the edge of the bed, she found it astonishingly comfortable. What did Killian have his mattresses made from – clouds?!

A soft cough alerted her to someone on the other side of the door.

"Come in!" Emma said, arranging herself delicately on the edge of the bed. But that went to waste when she leapt off it and bowled into Tink with wide arms.

"Tink! I've missed you!"

Tink laughed, a soft musical sound, "I missed you too, Emma." Although, she was surprised. The Princess had never been so affectionate towards her before. "How is the tour going?"

"My butt is so sore, it's not funny," Emma answered honestly. "How's the past week been? Father said you were on leave?" She said it like a question, curiosity getting the better of her.

"I just needed some time off," Tink answered only partially honestly. Some time off. And away.

"Well, I'm glad you're here," Emma replied enthusiastically. She was probably the only person who would make these next few days bearable.

First up, Emma just had to get through dinner.

 


	17. A Violent Roar

"My apologies for being late, friends," Killian said cordially as he entered the dining room. "Council meeting are long and boring and one of the worst things in ruling a country. Fair warning. Bae!" Killian leaned over and clasped his friend's hand in greeting, he turned to Emma, but looked slightly to the side of her face when he inclined his head, "Princess."

"I bet you've got loads of wisdom," Baelfire grinned at the king semi-sarcastically as he pulled out Emma's chair for her. "All, what, three months now?"

"Four months next Saturday," Emma muttered before she could help it. Bae pushed in her chair as Killian's eyebrow rose slightly, but other than that, he gave no conscious sign that he'd heard her.

"Is that so?" Bae enquired as he too took his place beside Emma. "My, how time flies!"

_Not fast enough._

Emma was finding herself quite heated as the courses progressed. Some person had brilliantly decided to put her right next to Killian at the head of the table, facing Tink who allowed her to pointedly avoid Killian.

But she was overtly aware of his presence. She was jittery. Her legs kept crossing and uncrossing beneath the table and Bae seemed to notice, halfway through the main course his hand making its way to stop her fidgeting. He pressed down on her knee and shot her a questioning look.

'Sorry,' she mouthed and he brought his hand back up onto the table, reaching for hers. Their fingers folded together delicately on the tabletop and Emma felt the person beside them seize up.

Tink saved the day.

"Hey Dan, mind bringing out dessert?"

The butler seemed surprised at being addressed so informally, but nevertheless, he bowed from the waist and returned to the kitchen.

"So, what's for dessert?" Emma said. Unbeknownst to the world, she was deeply craving chocolate basically 24 hours a day. And she couldn't indulge herself because that would definitely gain attention. Chocolate. Chocolate.

"Chocolate pudding," Tink said. Emma felt a small smile gracing her face.

"Someone's excited to get her chocolate," Bae grinned, squeezing her hand as the bowls were placed in front of them. Emma wrapped her hand around her spoon and dove in, finally glancing up at Killian. His eyes were fixated on the food, his knuckles clenched white upon his spoon.

Despite everything they'd been through, she could still remember the promise he'd made her two weeks ago.

_I'm not done with you yet, love._

Emma felt a small smirk playing at the corner of her mouth. She was right about their PDAs being counterproductive. Because Killian Jones was most definitely jealous.

Gods, his jealousy was hot. She could just imagine him fuelling that into sex. Him taking her up against the wall. Fucking her under the table…on the table…

_Shut the fuck up, hormones._

That first taste of chocolate had her wanting to gulp the entire thing down in one fell swoop, but she had to be ladylike and eat slowly. It was only after the second mouthful she realised that she'd been letting off low moans in the back of her throat.

Baelfire looked slightly embarrassed but Emma wasn't exactly ashamed, simply stating, "It's really good."

"Positively sinful," Killian answered, glancing up and Emma swore that look should be illegal. The moment was broken by Tink snorting into her pudding. She was the only one who was enjoying the comedy of the sexual tension in the room whilst Baelfire just seemed confused but otherwise blissfully unaware.

"You really should compliment your cook on this," Emma continued, for some reason not being able to stop her comments. "The smooth taste of this chocolate is simply…divine."

"So, what are we doing after dinner?" Tink said suddenly, needing to get them off that track before the ever oblivious Baelfire caught on.

"I didn't have anything planned," Killian answered.

"How about cards?" Bae suggested.

"So Emma can whoop your ass again?" Tink cocked an eyebrow at him and Killian's brow grew confused. "Emma always wins."

"Does she?" Killian asked, looking over at the Princess who was pointedly looking down to avoid looking at him. "Perhaps I can rectify that."

"Alas, I'm feeling rather tired after our travels," Emma sighed. Not really. She just couldn't stand being in the same room as Killian for more than ten minutes. She could easily blame it on her hormones.

"Of course," Bae said suddenly, worry upon his face, "I should have realised."

"We'll catch up tomorrow," Tink promised as Bae pulled out Emma's chair and she stood up.

"I'll escort Emma to her room and then I'll come down and meet you guys." Tink and Killian nodded. Emma was out of there before anything else could be said.

When Bae dropped her off at her room, Emma gave him a soft smile and thanks even though he frowned. Undoubtedly, Emma was flushed and perhaps even shaking.

"Are you okay, Emma?"

"I will be," she smiled, "Just need to rest. Goodnight."

"Night, Emma," Bae replied, kissing her knuckles and leaving her in her doorway. The minute Emma closed it, her forehead landed on the door.

She was an idiot to think she could survive this.

A soft turning in her stomach agreed.

* * *

She'd been dozing in her bed for the past few hours, and was only awoken when she heard someone walking into the room next door to hers. Reaching blindly for her pocket watch on the bedside table, she saw that it was just after midnight. Bleary eyes, she rolled over onto her side. She should probably get changed…

A dull thump above her head shocked her.

As did the low groans that followed it.

_Were the fucking gods working against her?!_

She'd recognise the sound of Killian's moans anywhere. And judging but the proximity, he was as equally unaware that they were roomed next to each other. What if she were to…

_Worst idea in the world, Emma. He won't be kind. He left you. He just wants sex._

Judging by the throbbing in her centre as she listened to his muffled sounds, it appeared that was what she wanted too. And her hormones had been raging. She could pass it off with that. She really could.

"Fuck it," she whispered, slipping her feet onto the stone floor and quickly crossing the room to her door. The corridor was thankfully deserted, and with a few steps, she was silently pushing the king's door open.

The fire raging upon the hearth cast an eerie glow on the scene she walked in on. Padding silently across the room, she found her breathing growing heavier as she watched him stroking himself. His eyes were closed and his grunts of pleasure growing louder.

Her face turned into a smirk when she heard him whispering her name.

He didn't sense her presence, even as she came to the side of his massive bed and climbed onto it. If he wasn't so absorbed in his activities, Emma would think he was dead to the world. She was practically on top of him by the time he stopped moving. His eyes opened to find her green eyes gazing down at him wantonly and a lazy grin graced his face.

"Hello, beautiful."

Emma greeted him with a long and heady kiss before reaching down and covering his hands with her own. She slunk down his body until she was in between his knees, tracing her free hand down his shirt. He'd only undone his tunic and pants in his rush to relieve himself.

And Emma took pity on him, leaning down to wrap her lips around his hard cock. She kissed the tip, earning her a loud groan before licking down his length and taking him into her mouth. His hands threading into her blonde hair, running his hands through it as he pushed himself against her lips.

"Gods, I love this dream," he groaned after a few moments. And Emma, shocked into stillness, stopped.

"What?" she asked dangerously, looking up at him with fire in her eyes.

"This…is a dream, right?" For a moment he doubted it, shuffling backwards towards the headboard and away from Emma's amazing hands and mouth. Emma herself slid backwards off the bed, leaning back towards the fire, her feet touching the ground delicately. Standing there before him, she could've been a ghost.

"Nope."

Killian seemed to battle with himself internally for a few moments. But as he watched her, his eyes taking in her form, her tousled hair and heavy breaths, he made up his mind.

And he leapt on her. He grabbed her arms and crushed her to his body, his tongue plundering her mouth and teeth leaving her lower lip bruised. His hands were fighting the laces on her bodice, but before long he grew impatient and simply ignored them for the time being.

"Up against the wall," Killian ordered, his eyes aflame. "Now."

Emma was breathing heavily, but didn't hesitate. She needed him in her and in that moment, she didn't even care how. He closed in on her with her back against the stones. His hands traced up and down her still clothed sides as she reached to rid him of his clothing. His tunic was on the floor followed by his shirt, but Killian was too wired to worry about the rest of their clothes. He turned Emma around with a contained growl, pulling down her panties and dropping them on the floor, feeling her wetness against his fingers.

He placed a hot kiss on the back of her neck and her body bent against him as she felt him sliding against her backside.

"My wanton Princess," Killian whispered. "You still need me."

"Shut up and get in me, Jones," Emma grunted in response, her hips jolting backwards into his hardness. God, she just needed him to ease the tension she had strung tight. Get it over with.

He slid into her in one long movement that felt like an eternity. But then he was at her, pounding hard into her body as he clutched at her hips, teeth sucking and licking at her exposed shoulders and neck as Emma braced herself on the wall, her moans coming out guttural and loud.

"At least I know you want me now, Princess," Killian whispered in her ear as he licked along the shell.

"What makes you say that?"

"You came running back to my room like usual," Killian answered, "Just to be fucked."

It was like a slap to her face.

She was back to who she was in the beginning. Just a girl who wanted to know what sex was. Using Killian for research; for the feeling of being a woman. He used her for pleasure just as she used him.

How could she forget that she thought more of him than that?

_How could she forget that she loved him._

But she wouldn't tell him to stop, because that would mean letting him know. She wouldn't be able to go on – fuck, she'd probably tell him…everything…

_Bury it, Emma. Try._

* * *

"Are you going to be this pliant on your wedding night with your Prince? Will he still want you – "

Killian knew exactly what he was doing. He was being the person who walked away. He was walking away. Covering his feelings.

_It's the only way you aren't going to get hurt._

* * *

"At least he'll make love to me."

Emma couldn't believe she'd said that. Aloud. Gods, why had she come here? Just to relive what Killian had done to her. She turned her head aside, looking deep into the flames, anything to rid her of the reminiscing and feeling that were rising to the forefront of her mind.

Killian stilled, his eyes traveling up to where Emma was gazing to the side with a hard expression. He answered harshly, "I've told you before, Princess. Making love is a fantasy. People fuck. They fuck you, and they fuck you over, and then they leave you."

"Is that what you did?"  _Shut up Emma! Shut up!_  "Fucked me over and left me."

"That wasn't my choice," he answered, beginning to move again. It was a distraction. His pleasure was merely a distraction.

"And when you made love to me," Emma continued, the words flowing freely now; talking to the wall as he thrust relentlessly. "Because I know that's what you did on that last night I spent in your bed. Was that your choice then, Killian? Because it was worse than fucking me over. You loved me and left me."

"I didn't love you," he answered angrily, his blue eyes flashing as he emphasized his word with a particularly deep and hard set of thrusts that made Emma cry out with the mixture of pain and pleasure.

"If you say so," Emma answered breathlessly, her hands tightening on the stones. They might have indents afterwards, but she thought it might be worth it. That every time she found herself with Killian, it was worth the consequences.

"I didn't love you," he whispered as he buried his face in he crook of her neck. His lips and teeth traced patterns before he was biting down in  _very_ visible areas…

Emma's hand reached behind her, clutching at his neck and trying to feel him in a way that he wouldn't let himself feel.

"I don't love you." It lacked conviction

"Please, I don't love you," he was pleading with her, his voice cracking even as Emma felt herself coming to her climax. She shook against him, falling back into him as he pulled her in as close as physically possible, panting into her skin when he came.

"I can't love you," he whispered brokenly. "You'll leave me." He disentangled himself in a rush, as though Emma were suddenly poison to him. He practically ran to his bed like a child from the scene of an accident.

"Killian," Emma said his name delicately as she crossed the room slowly, aftershocks still rushing through her. Her skin suddenly felt stifling and within a few quick seconds, she had her dress on the floor. She climbed in after him, clad in only her undergarments. She knew she shouldn't. She knew she should definitely leave. Right now. Save herself the heartache.

Instead, she laid down next to him, enough space for a body between them in that enormous bed.

"And if I promised not to leave?" Emma breathed, looking up at his crushed face. His hair was mussed, his lips bruised from kissing her skin. She reached for him. She ran her fingers along his rough cheek delicately. But he caught her fingers.

_It's okay, you know, to let yourself love her._

"Then I won't love you," Killian murmured, even as he pulled Emma to him, clutching her tightly against his warm body. He needed her, even if he refused to admit it. Even if the world refused to let them. "Because everyone I love dies."

_I love you. I love you. I love you…_

And Emma had nothing else that she could say before he was asleep.


	18. Mine to Hold

When Emma awoke the next morning, the sun was casting a warm pink and yellow glow through the window. She stirred warmly against the soft pillows and quilt. Soft fingertips were tracing over her thigh, inching closer to her, striving to awaken her in pleasure. Emma couldn't believe it. The warmth of his body pressed against her as she bend into him. Killian's fingers were tracing patterns against her clit as he ground into her backside slowly, his hard length gaining friction against her skin.

"Good morning," he whispered huskily in her ear, nipping it gently.

"Apparently it is for – " she gasped as he pushed a finger into her, " – you."

"You too, love," he whispered as he slid down a little until he was nudging at her entrance with his cock. "I think you'll find it's a very good morning."

He slipped into her easily with how wet she was. She hated herself for reacting so obviously to his ministrations, especially after the distance between them last night. This…

She'd never expected their first morning together to be like this.

And then he felt something move.

He stilled, thinking that Emma was shying away from him. Except she wasn't. Her hips were still rocking back against him as she let out a moan of protest. His brow furrowed as he continued, running his hands up to her breasts and hearing her moan loudly, then back over her stomach towards her…

He stopped.

Eyes wide, he pulled out of her and backed away. Emma rolled over to face him, confused, and tried to reach for him. But he was just shaking his head.

"Killian," Emma tried, but he wouldn't speak. Wouldn't or couldn't, well, that was anyone's guess. But as he kept his eyes anywhere but on her, she grew worried. Had she done something wrong or…

Her tummy…

"Oh," she breathed.

"You're with child," Killian finally managed, his eyes searching the sheets. But he caught her eyes when she nodded, confirming what he'd felt when he'd rolled his hand over her rounded stomach.

"I'm sorry," he was out of the bed and reaching for his pants within a split second. "Oh, gods, I'm so sorry, Emma. If I'd known…Bae's child…gods I'm a fiend, a pirate…" He was kneeling in front of her as she got out of the bed.

"You're not."

"I stole you, didn't I?" His face was downcast, as if he had the guilt of the world upon his shoulders.

"I came willingly," Emma answered, lifting her hand to stroke his face. "Every time."

He bent into her hand, breathing her in, with one of his own tracing patterns on her bare knee, so very similar to what could have almost been considered their first date all those months ago.

"Your child needs his father."

"Every boy does," Emma replied with a nod, and Killian sighed in resignation, knowing that he had to do the right thing for the first time in his life. He went to move, but Emma stopped him. With one hand, she tilted his head to look her in the eyes. She saw the unshed tears lingering there, but rather than choosing to wipe them away, she took his hand.

She took his hand and she placed it on her rounded tummy. And Killian felt the child kick once more. Gods, how he wished it was his. That this could be his moment.

Emma was rubbing his hand over her skin, a smile building upon her face. "He likes that," she said, shyly to Killian. The king sighed, his face dropping as he tore his hand away, murmuring, "I wish this was my life, Emma."

Emma's brow furrowed. What was he…

And then his words from before connected with her brain.

_Bae's child…_

"Killian!" she rectified quickly. "Killian, he's yours!"

His eyes connected with hers as his head jolted up, hope dawning in him.

"What?"

"I've never been with Bae…I would never…" she struggled to get the words out. "It'll be a marriage of convenience. Not of…love."

Killian still seemed to be struggling with words. "You're…you're carrying my child?"

"Yes, idiot," Emma smiled hesitantly, still feeling doubt over his reaction. She could never tell with him. After all, they'd always just agreed on sex. Nothing else. "Yes, I am."

_Let yourself love her._

And Killian couldn't help but launch himself at her, burying his fingers in her hair and pulling her up for the most passionate and loving kiss she had ever experienced.

 _Bullshit, he didn't love me_ , Emma thought.

"We're having a baby." He almost sounded like a giggling child when he pulled away, the smile that lit up his face, infectious. He picked Emma up and laid her back on the bed gently, realising as he did so, the events that had unfolded last night. His eyes widened and he suddenly turned his eyes downwards.

"Emma, I'm so sorry," he whispered, ashamed, the emotions from last night welling to the surface. "Those things I said…"

"Hey," Emma said, soothing him with a gentle caress. "I understand."

"And I was rough with you," Killian's eyes widened in horror, as he glanced from her to her stomach to her face again. "I didn't hurt…"

"No, no," Emma hurried reassuringly. "It's fine. I've been reading books."

"You're sure?" Killian answered with such sincerity that all Emma could do was smile.

"I'm sure," she nodded, bringing him down for another kiss.

"But what about all the other stuff," Killian murmured into her lips even though he was still frowning. He shouldn't do this. He shouldn't be here…leading her on…loving her… "That alliance that relies upon your marriage. Your parents…the scandal…"

"Fuck them," Emma answered, staring him in the eyes. "If I have to run away to be with you, then I will."

And they knew that things wouldn't be that simple, but in that perfect moment, as the sun rose and they lay together for their first morning, they were.

* * *

Regina was practically dancing around her room.

"My plan worked!" she grinned in excitement, "Killian drank the potion yesterday and judging by the sound I heard when I walked past his room, our proof is currently growing in her stomach."

Just a lot further along than Regina expected her to be. But she didn't know that yet.

"So you don't need my help anymore?" Graham said, with a smile, his insides turning. His little Emma…pregnant… God, he would kill Regina if she didn't have his heart locked away in a vault somewhere.

"Maybe," Regina shrugged. "I'll be keeping you on call."

The window disappeared with one wave of Regina's hand. She was still smiling as she left her room and went to go and find breakfast. As she did, however, she heard a loud knocking on the door. It was barely six o'clock! Way too early for visitors!

"Robin," Regina's eyes widened in surprise as she opened the door. "What are you doing here?"

"Lovely to see you too, milady," Robin answered, taking her hand and kissing it on the doorstep. Regina's face remained dutifully blank as he stepped aside.

"I wasn't expecting to see you again so soon," Regina answered honestly and a little put off. The Knight's very presence seemed to annoy her.

"Nor I, milady," Robin answered, something playful sparkling in his eyes, "But there was something I had to be here to do."

Regina eyed him curiously. He was being very vague and it irked her.

"Breakfast?" she offered.

"Breakfast," Robin acquiesced.

 


	19. You tell yourself

"How'd you sleep?" Bae asked Emma at the breakfast table. She slid in beside him with a warm glow about her. It was visible to everyone at the table.

Regina smirked.

"Pretty good," Emma answered, smiling at Bae, "You?"

"Yeah, good," he answered softly. "I was thinking of going for a ride out to Lake Avalon later, but I'm not exactly familiar with the road."

"I can take you," Tink offered before her mouth fully connected with her brain and she cringed internally.

"Sounds great," Bae said, offering Tink a genuine smile. Emma almost thought she saw something else, but she passed it off.

"Emma?"

"I'm not sure my derriere can take another day in an uncomfortable seat," Emma answered, as she swirled her eggs around her plate, the smell seeming putrid to her. Killian seemed to notice her discomfort from the corner of his eye and offered, "Perhaps Robin can come with you?"

"Actually, my King," Robin piped up from next to Regina whose face suddenly dropped as she remembered he was there. "I've got some research I needed to do in the library."

"Regina could help you there," Killian answered, a manipulative gleam in his eyes. "The library is practically her bedroom."

Emma felt herself smiling at the insinuation in Killian's words. Apparently the world knew about Robin's unrequited love for the Lady Regina, just not Regina herself.

"But I –"

"I have no meetings for today, Regina," Killian reminded her, "And you're due for a mental health day away from me."

"I'm going to need another one after him," Regina muttered under her breath before showing Robin a smile dripping with sarcasm.

"It will be my pleasure."

"Yes," Killian murmured, "I'm sure pleasure's the right word."

And then he threw Emma a wink.

She blushed over her water goblet and managed to breath and swallow at the same time, amounting in a coughing fit that had Bae rubbing circles on her back and Killian's eyes narrowing in jealousy. They had to talk about this.

When breakfast ended, Bae gave Emma a light kiss on the cheek and Emma caught Killian's eye over his shoulder.

 _Bedroom_ , he mouthed and Emma nodded. Seeing Tink and Bae off, she headed back upstairs and pushed open the King's door to find his nose stuck in a book as he muttered under his breath.

"I'm sorry," Emma murmured, "About….before."

"It's not your fault, love," he murmured looking up before his face softened curiously, "Is that why you chose to marry Baelfire? Because of the baby?"

Emma froze, choosing her words carefully, "I didn't really choose. It was ally with Cassadia or risk war. And I knew Bae. He was nice and kind and I thought that, if the time came, we'd be able to work something out when it came to my child."

Killian sighed and closed the book, putting it aside as he exited the room. Emma passed him and he locked the door behind them, leaning up against the wood, wearied as he looked over at his princess tenderly.

* * *

The minute Regina turned the corridor, she caught sight of two figures in a closed discussion and zipped back around the corner, peeking her head around, just enough to see what was going on. Her eyes widened in shock as she saw Emma speaking with the king, her eyes looking down at a…

Very obviously protruding baby bump when she held her dress like that.

Regina's mouth opened and closed in shock. She felt a slight pang of disappointment when she realised she hadn't assisted in that baby's conception, but nevertheless, things would occur very fast at this rate. If she was  _already_  showing.

Well, it was only a matter of time before the throne was hers.

* * *

Killian leant down to place his lips gently on her forehead before taking her hand in his and leading her down the hall

"Have you told anyone else about her?" he enquired, as he ran his thumb over her hand lightly.

"It's a boy," Emma pushed.

"You can't know that, love."

"It's a boy," she said adamantly.

"Fine, he's a boy," Killian rolled his eyes, quite plainly thinking she was wrong. "But have you?"

Emma shook her head and Killian's eyes rose. "You were dealing with this on your own?"

Emma bit down on her lip and nodded in agreement, whispering, "I was going to give him up."

"No."

Emma's eyes widened as she looked up at Killian who continued, "I don't care what alliances or rules of royalty I have to break but you are not giving up that baby."

"Killian," Emma pleaded.

"Emma," he answered, turning her around to face him. His blue eyes tried to catch her glowing emeralds but they were turned away from him towards the floor.

"I can't be a mother, Killian," Emma whispered, looking up at him and he jumped when he saw that there were tears in her eyes. "You know it's impossible. A scandal. That's all this will ever be. And I'll be ruined and my kingdom will fall."

"And to think you used to be worried about being officially crowned as Princess," Killian tried to joke but it didn't work; she simply began to cry.

"Whoa, Emma ," Killian's eyes went wide. Deal with this. How was he supposed to deal with this-

Oh.

Her hands were wrapped around his waist and all he had to do was wrap his own arms around her body and hold her tight.

"It's okay," Killian whispered, rubbing soothing circles down her back. "I was thinking of taking us over to go see Merlin. He's wise and somewhat of a doctor. I'm sure he'd be able to, you know, help a bit. With the nausea you felt at breakfast."

"That's just normal pregnancy stuff," Emma shrugged wiping away her tears, before thinking about it. "Can we trust him?"

"He's the most honest man in the world," Killian said, "And if you ask him to keep a secret, he'll do it. Should've seen how long he kept from Arthur that he was a magician. Now,  _that_  was a story."

Emma nodded and pulled away from him.

"If worst comes to worse," Killian murmured, slipping his hand back into hers. "Run away?"

"Run away," Emma agreed.

* * *

"Stop being such a wimp, Bae!" Tink called out with a smile, "The water's not that cold."

Bae groaned at the vision of Tink's happy face, but he simply pulled off his boots and slipped into the water next to her, letting out a howl as the cold water met his legs.

"You lied," he hissed but she was merely grinning cheekily at him.

"Don't worry," she answered, "it gets warmer."

Even as she said the words, he felt the lake's mystical properties taking effect, warming them indescribably.

"This is amazing," Bae breathed, leaning back, not realising that all Tink was doing was staring at him. Only when he turned to glance at her did he see the sharp intakes of breath she was taking; her pupils dilated in lust. As he watched her, he felt the same need take hold of him, burning through his veins and searing the very heart of him.

Emma didn't matter. The alliance didn't matter.

Only Tink.

It was a split second before Bae slid his hand around her head and pulled her face into his, crushing his lips against hers in a heated rush. He kissed her with unguarded passion, his other hand seeking her waist and pulling her closer.

Tink moved against him; her body making waves against his. She tried to remove any space there could possibly be between the two of them, a moan releasing from her mouth as his tongue entered her mouth in a cruel dance.

He pulled her feet from the water, pushing her backwards onto the grass and never once removing his lips from hers. He lay practically on top of her, but when he pulled his legs up around hers, a wave of cold air hit him.

"Tink," Bae whispered, his breath upon her face as he tried to discern what exactly had driven him to such a lust filled haze. "Tink, what are we doing?"

"I…" His words finally registered and she pulled away sharply, her face red with embarrassment as she tried to scramble out from underneath him. "I'm sorry, Bae! Oh, gods, the waters of Avalon. I forgot…"

"Tink…" He reached out his hand for her, trying to catch it. He didn't regret what had happened and he didn't want her to run, but she was already on her horse.

"You can find your own way back, right?"

Bae nodded, a sad longing filling the place where moments ago had been a glowing joy.

Tink inclined her head, and rode away.

* * *

She had to do it. She had to let him know, just once, before it was too late. She had to tell him. This day had only brought her feelings to the forefront of her mind. She had to tell him.

Bae was lying in his bed that night when Tink opened the door, creeping in silently. Her bare feet padded soundlessly over the stone floor, freezing cold physically and emotionally. She was scared.

When she closed the door, she tried to do it lightly, but it still made the slightest of sounds. His eyes glanced up at her when he heard it. Confused for a moment, his lips broke into a hesitant smile.

"Tink," he said lowly. "About this afternoon. I know it was the water but still I shouldn't have…"

She didn't say anything. She knew that the words would just get stuck in her throat if she even tried. So she walked towards him lying there in his bed. And she fiddled with the ties on her robe.

And she let it fall to the ground.

Bae's eyes widened indescribably, the blacks of his pupils almost consuming his irises. The book in his hand fell onto the covers in disregard, slipping to the floor as he sat up, trying to swallow because his mouth had suddenly gone dry.

Tink walked towards him cautiously, dressed in only her corset and panties and clearly unsure of what she was doing. But when she reached the edge of his mattress, she found that he'd moved closer to her side of the bed, reaching for her as she drew closer.

"Tink," Bae whispered her name reverently as she climbed onto the bed, crawling over to him. He trailed his fingers down her arm, following the smooth lines of her body as he felt the warmth of her skin. He threaded his hand behind her neck, rubbing at the back of her neck. "What is this?"

"I'm going to kiss you, Bae," Tink answered softly, running her hand along his cheek. She bent down to him, staring deeply into his eyes. "Tell me to stop," she breathed.

He pulled her down to him, their lips meeting in a gentle kiss. Tink pulled away to look at him, finding his gaze heated and intense.

And then all hell broke loose.

Baelfire rolled Tink over onto her back, covering her half naked body with his own. He attacked her lips forcefully, his tongue weaving into her mouth and fighting her as he ran his hands along her body. She was pushing herself up into him as his lips traced along her jawline to her collarbone, then to the swells of her breasts as he reached for the clasps of her corset.

She blushed as he pulled it apart, pulling it out from under her and tossing it aside as he took in the image of her lying there, hair in disarray and flushing right down to her breasts.

"You," he kissed her neck, "are," he kissed in the valley of her breasts, "gorgeous," he kissed her stomach, looking up at her from his perch before he continued his descent, kissing over her hips, down to her thighs…

He pried apart her legs, nibbling on the skin of her inner thigh as he reached for her panties, to pull them down. He pulled them down her legs before throwing them aside with her corset. But when he lowered himself once again, he noticed that Tink was eyeing him apprehensively.

"You okay?" he enquired, leaning up to kiss her gently. Her hands came up to run down his bare chest to where his pants were loosely tied. She jumped slightly when she brushed over his hardness. Her blush grew even deeper and Bae read between the lines.

"First time?" he enquired gently, and Tink nodded in embarrassment. He simply kissed her forehead, and down her nose before giving her a small smile, "Mine too," he finally admitted reluctantly, giving her a hesitant smile.

Tink's eyes widened in shock. She hadn't expected that. It was actually a common practice for Princes to be well versed in a woman's body before their marriage. Well, she supposed, Bae wasn't married yet.

"Thank you," he whispered to her, realising what a big deal it was that she would give him her virtue. "You're brave."

"I wouldn't forgive myself if I didn't…" Tink answered softly before Bae was kissing her again, his hands kneading at her breasts and brushing over her nipples. Tink moaned, feeling his hardness brush against her as she pushed his pants down and he kicked them off. They were naked against each other, every touch magnified by fire.

"Just for tonight," Tink whispered as he leant down to brush his nose against hers gently. He was warm. And soft but oh so hard. "Make me feel like a princess?"

And as he slowly entered her, pressing into her tightly, she hissed in pain, but it was easier than she thought. Bae held himself above her, murmuring whispers of comfort as the pain hit and long after it subsided. He was kissing her lips and over her body, moving gently as she moved against him.

Each tiny amount of friction brought them more pleasure. Tink was writhing beneath him and he knew, that between them, they wouldn't last very long at all. Tink could feel her pleasure focusing in on a single point as she gasped below him.

Her climax knocked into her suddenly, making her gasp for breath as she cried Baelfire's name softly. He felt her surrounding him, tightening, and he too, let go of that tension, filling her as he collapsed, pulling her close.

"I think I like you, Tink," he murmured into her collarbone, placing a soft kiss there before he rolled off her, dragging her along with him. She threw her arms over him, sinking into him – their bodies perfectly aligned. "A lot more than I should," he added as though it surprised him.

"Love you too, Bae," she whispered, already fading into sleep as the fire upon the hearth slowly faded to black.


	20. Enough For Now

"They are sorted by author's surname, Locksley," Regina repeated shortly once more through the aisles of books, muttering under her breath, "I suggest you learn your alphabet."

"Yes, my lady, but that's not much help when I don't  _know_  the author's surname."

"Then why the fuck are you here?" she groaned, not realising that her voice had gone up a little bit louder than a mutter. His movements in the next aisle over stuttered to a halt and there was a disconcerting silence for a few seconds. The next minute, she heard a slight movement and suddenly, Robin was standing in front of her, his eyes narrowed.

"You really don't know?"

Despite the fact that she could summon magic to her fingers in two seconds flat, Regina was stunned into silence by the dark look in Robin's eyes.

"I'm sick of waiting for you to see what everyone else can," Robin answered as he took steps closer to her. Regina's spine began to tingle when he entered her personal space and the minute his hand wrapped around her wrist she felt something shoot up her arm. It was a foreign feeling; it surprised her.

Even more when he lifted his arm, taking hers with it and placed a burning kiss to her wrist. Regina's dark eyes widened as Robin gazed up at her. How was it even possible to make kissing a wrist so sensual?

"Tell me, milady," Robin whispered, his stubble bristling against her skin as he pushed her sleeve upwards, tracing his lips up her arm. "You could have done anything today, but you came with me."

"The king made me," Regina answered quickly, though not entirely convincingly. Upon hearing her own voice, she snapped her hand out of his reach and took a step back.

"You know what," she said briskly, "I don't even need to be here. I'm going."

Robin grabbed her arms and swung her around. A heavy wooden bookcase met her back and a soft grunt escaped her mouth. "If you truly meant that, my lady, you would have left four hours ago."

His face was close to hers; his lips right before her lips. She wanted to kiss him.

_Gods, this man infuriated her._

So, why she surged forward and captured his lips, was a complete mystery. He let out a small noise of approval when she crushed her lips to his, swaying gently before curling his hand into her hair and gripping her waist tightly.

He pried open her mouth with his tongue and she let out a little whimper when he tangled them together in a cruel dance as he pressed her harder against the bookshelf. His hips pressed into hers, letting a groan slip from his lips when she pushed her hips back into his growing hardness.

His hands picked her up and pushed her onto the small ledge, pushing her legs apart, Robin snuck in between them, friction gaining between their most intimate parts. Running his lips down her chest toward the swell of her breasts, Regina's head fell back against the books as laved his tongue over her skin, leaving prominent marks that she honestly couldn't care less about.

"I'd take this blasted bodice off, milady, if we weren't in such a public place."

"In case you haven't realised," Regina hissed back, ducking her own head to the skin of his neck, "There's no one else here."

"Nevertheless," Robin answered, a smirk playing at his lips as his hands snuck beneath her skirt, tracing the skin of her legs as his hands ventured further up her thighs, dipping between them to find the warmth that lay between her legs.

"You think I am some common whore, Sir Locksley?" Regina whispered as he pressed against her and she took a sharp intake of breath. "That you would presume to touch me so intimately. Come now, ladies like me should be courted."

"Ladies like you should be pleasured," Robin whispered, seeking her lips once more, but stopping his hand hesitantly. Regina reached for his hand as he pulled it out from under her skirt and entwined her finger in his gently.

"Ladies like me shouldn't have knights reaching up her skirt just because she cannot control her human desires." She was berating herself as much as she was trying to push him away. Gods, she had a kingdom to take over so that she could wage war upon Snow White. She did not need this…incredibly…handsome…knight…

"You have more than one knight reaching up your skirt, my lady?" Robin cocked an eyebrow at her as he leant back.

"Don't get cocky, Locksley," Regina hissed, as she pushed him away, her eyes freed from lust and need, she jumped down and began to walk away. "I got caught up in the moment. Don't expect it to happen again."

"I'll be here at 10 o'clock tomorrow," he answered, watching her retreating back. It almost seemed like she had a little more sway in her hips than usual.

"I won't be."

But there was a small smile creeping onto Regina's lips as the library door snapped shut behind her and she retreated to her bedroom as night closed in around her.

* * *

Killian woke up at five o'clock the next morning to the sound of Emma vomiting next door.

Without a moment's hesitation, he ran out his door and into her room only to find her throwing up in the sink.

"I'm sorry," she whispered as she turned the faucet and water poured down the sink. "It hasn't been too bad. I've only thrown up a couple of times."

"Is it normal?"

Emma saw Killian's fearful face in that moment and couldn't help but laugh despite her feelings.

"Perfectly," she chuckled, finally taking a seat next to the bath and beginning to run it despite the fact that it was before dawn. She reached for the brush for her teeth without a second thought.

"Are you…okay?"

"Bad taste in my mouth but otherwise, I'm fine," she answered with a small smile as she proceeded to brush her teeth. He was still watching her carefully when she was done and turned to turn the bath faucet. "Go back to bed."

She turned away but felt him move up behind her, reaching for the ties of her nightdress. Immediately, she stepped away, eyes widening in shock.

"No," Emma murmured as she looked up at him, "No. Don't…"

"Why not, love," Killian shrugged indifferently. "It's nothing I haven't seen before."

"Just leave it, Killian," she practically growled.

"But why, Emma, I – "

"It's too intimate, okay?!" Emma answered loudly, throwing her hands up in frustration before her voice lowered. "It's too intimate."

"Intimate?" Killian questioned, a gleam that looked all too familiar in his eyes. "Love, if you want intimate, I'll show you intimate. But for now, just get in the bath."

His refusal to move ensured that Emma was either not getting a bath or had to bathe whilst he was there. Emma huffed and pulled her robe off, followed by her nightgown and panties and slipped into the warm water quickly, trying not to show too much of her body.

Killian frowned as he knelt down by the side of the tub.

"You do realise that being pregnant doesn't make you ugly," Killian pointed out, swirling his finger in the water. "It makes you glow with beauty."

Emma blushed, but she still wouldn't move. Even as he brought the brush and soap to her back and began to wash the skin there, she acted as if she was on red alert; as though she were waiting for lightning to strike her dead.

"What's wrong, Emma?" Killian whispered, pulling back to look at her closely. He put the soap and brush aside and ran a hand down her arm, seeing goosebumps erupt all the way down her flesh.

"Go away."

"No," Killian answered adamantly. "I told you I wasn't going to leave you."

"But you will."

Killian's hand stilled on her arm as he remembered the very words he'd said to her the other night. She felt the same. They were…the same…

_I can't love you. You'll leave me._

"I won't leave you," Killian promised, pressing tender kiss to her shoulder.

Before Emma could say anything else, Killian was pulling off his pants and sliding into the water next to her. Emma still looked hesitant, but allowed him to pull her into his arms and sit between his legs. It was a strange feeling to have him against her in the water, but surprisingly, it felt nice to simply sit there without the expectation of more carnal activities.

Killian picked up the soap again and began to lather it down her arms and over her stomach and breasts. Emma stifled her moan, trying not to let this escalate. Even as he delved into the water, tracing patterns up her legs and thighs, she simply tried to sink into his touch. And eventually, her body bent into him, relaxing into his frame and breathing in his soft scent.

It was just as he was washing away the last of the soap on her shoulders that he pressed a kiss to her neck and whispered three little words.

"I love you."

Emma froze.

"What?" she asked. It was meant to sound dangerous, but it only came out as a hopeful whisper.

"I love you," he answered simply and Emma struggled out of his grip to turn around. Wide eyed, she watched his eyes following her every move, a glimpse of fear hidden within them.

"I thought you said you wouldn't," Emma whispered.

"I've been fooling myself since the first time I saw you naked, Emma," Killian answered earnestly, a sheen in his hopeful eyes as he moved towards her. "And then you had to grow up and be this. This strong and wise woman who bloody well doesn't need me –"

"Don't," she pleaded as he reached her, hands upon her waist and pulling her closer. She tried to not look at him but he was nuzzling his nose against hers.

"But I need you," he whispered before gently kissing her, their lips meeting in a well known dance along the line of lust and desire…

And love.

And Emma didn't know how to respond to the words she'd only dreamt about him saying. She didn't know what she was supposed to feel. All she wanted to do was latch onto him and keep him and never let him go.

And so she did.

Emma clutched at him desperately as he fell backwards, water splashing over the sides of the tub. She laughed at the absurdity of it, climbing on top of him and seeing his genuine smile too.

She felt him stirring beneath her and wrapped her hand around his length, her fingers dancing as she stroked him to life. He groaned as his fingers explored her body, brushing over her extremely sensitive breasts and making her moan gratefully.

"Yes," she breathed, pushing herself against him. Killian quirked an eyebrow at her before taking one nipple in his mouth, teasing and sucking as she writhed atop him, grinding and…slipping…

"Killian," Emma giggled.  _What? Giggling?_

"Bedroom?" he guessed, placing a kiss on her lips.

"Yes please," she answered with a wide smile before he swept her up, bridal style and took her into her bedroom still dripping wet. Dropping her down on the mattress lightly, he crawled on top of her, showing care not to put pressure on her. Emma felt a flood of warmth that had nothing to do with her arousal when she thought of Killian in that way. A father…their child…

She pulled him down for another kiss before he began to kiss down her body, and over her stomach delicately. She almost didn't hear him as he whispered, "Hey baby. You're gonna be daddy's girl aren't you."

Emma rolled her eyes.

"It's a boy."

"Not born yet, love," Killian answered with a devilish grin before disappearing between her thighs. The minute his tongue parted her folds, Emma loud out a whimper of relief. He stroked her lazily at first before darting his tongue faster and bringing two fingers up to push at her entrance. Emma was moaning as she pushed into his face feeling her ecstasy coming upon her faster than she thought possible. She panted out her release as Killian came up for air, a wide grin upon his face.

She was already wriggling again, the fire igniting once more when she saw Killian's prominent arousal peeking at her. Emma's hands reach down and brought Killian up to her, kissing him deeply as she pushed him over onto his back and rolled her body onto his.

"Insatiable, Princess," Killian grinned in between her kisses as she reached down to grip his length in her hands.

"It's the hormones," she answered, knowing full well that was only half of her need. The sexy man beneath her was the rest.

"Sure," he rolled his eyes before his face clouded over in an image of pleasure as Emma slid her lips down his neck and bit down harshly on his shoulder, marking him as hers before whispering, "Do you have any idea how careful I had to be with my clothing after you were done with me?"

"I'm not done with you," Killian answered softly as she trailed her lips down his chest. "Not by a long shot."

"Good," Emma answered with a smirk, as she squirmed to adjust herself, "Because I'm not done with you either."

And with those words she sank onto him, letting out a whimper when she felt him fill her completely. Killian's eyes never left her body, even as she began to roll her hips over his. Emma leant down on his shoulders for support as his hands skimmed over her body; one clutching her hip, the other kneading her breast.

Killian met her for each thrust, looking up at her with every emotion he could possibly be feeling in that moment and Emma drank it in. Even if she was still scared; even if she thought he was going to leave. It was nice to know, that in that moment, he believed wholeheartedly that he loved her.

And when they came, it was in hushed whispers they called each others' names, the sun slowly rising through the windowsill and bathing them in the warm light of a new day. Emma curled into Killian's side, her fingers tracing lazy patterns through his chest hair as he turned his head to place a kiss upon her forehead.

Emma smiled and rubbed her nose against his shoulder affectionately, giving his skin a playful nip before he chuckled, "Should I go check the damage?"

Emma took a glance over his shoulders. There were only a few marks, some already fading, but not _that_  one…

"Just don't do any bare chested training and we'll be fine."

"We'll have to get out of bed sometime, Emma," Killian answered, looking at her tenderly as he held her tightly against his side. Emma caught the true meaning in his words, but she wasn't ready to face it. Not yet.

They had to. Before the scandal hit.

"So who do we tell first?" Emma asked with a soft sigh.

"Tink," Killian answered without a second thought. He looked back at her. "But who do you want to tell?"

"Bae," she answered without hesitation.

Killian nodded.

"Looks like we're about to make it official Princess."

Emma frowned. "Make what official?"

He threw her his charming and downright sexy smirk.

"That the King of Mercian thoroughly fucked the Princess of Anselor."

"I really hope our baby doesn't take to your penchant for colourful words," Emma said as she rolled her eyes.

"She'll take after her mother in that department," he retorted with a hard kiss to her mouth that left her panting. As he disentangled himself from the sheets, all Emma could say was:

" _He._ "

 


	21. Whisperings

Regina grew tired of incessantly knocking on Tink's door and was about to leave when she heard the soft sound of laughter around the corner. Walking over, Regina watched Prince Baelfire place a happy kiss upon Tink's lips before she turned around to find a gobsmacked Regina leaning against the wall.

"Regina," Baelfire's eyes widened when he saw her, "I –"

"You look like a fish when you open and close your mouth like that, Baelfire," Regina said, hiding her surprise with sarcasm, "I need to speak to Tink. Alone."

Tink's eyes widened in surprise, then fear, then neutrality.

"I'll be five minutes."

"I'll be in my room," Regina answered, turning on her heel and making her way back to her room as she rolled her eyes. She had to admit, she hadn't seen that coming. She froze as she entered her door.

_What if they already knew?_

"Okay, Regina," Tink was entering behind her, fixing her collar as she went. "We never talk. What do you want?"

"First off," Regina began, as she took a seat at her table, "This thing with you and Baelfire…"

"You won't say anything, will you Regina?"

_Perfect opportunity._

She frowned as though confused, "What do you mean? There's nothing wrong here, I'm happy for the two of you."

"But he…Emma…" Tink frowned, motioning between herself and Regina. "We're on the same page about whose Engagement Tour this is, right?"

"Yes, but with Killian and Emma, I assume it's only a matter of ti-"

"You  _know_  about them?" Tink's face dropped in shock and Regina continued politely, however much she hated being interrupted.

"Of course," Regina waved away, hiding her smirk, "And we won't be the only ones soon enough."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, Emma's already started showing, I doubt she'll be able to hide it for lo –"

"What?"

Tink's eyes widened drastically in and almost pained fear. "Emma's pregnant?" Tink breathed. And Regina feigned surprise at Tink not knowing. "But that…that's going to ruin the alliance..."

"Yes…I suppose…" Regina trailed off with a shrug, "But you'll figure things out I'm sure. You're all friends."

"Yeah, I guess," Tink was still in shock. "Thank you, Regina. I never thought you'd be on our side through all this."

"I try, Lady Bell," Regina gave a hesitant smile, a thought striking her while she was at it. A slight blush crept onto her face. Well, since she was feigning friendship with Tink, she may as well go all out.

"What's wrong, Regina?" Tink's brow furrowed.

"Well…" _Spit it out, Regina. You've never had a friend, may as well pretend you have one now._ "What do you think of Sir Robin?"

Tink's confusion swept into an impish grin.

"You came to me for advice on boys?" Tink almost laughed. "Gods, Regina, I never thought I'd see the day."

"Do you want me to talk to you, or not," Regina said heftily, a little annoyed but still curious.

"He's a good man," Tink sobered up. "He's liked you for as long as I've known him. Surely he deserves a chance."

"A chance?"

"You know of such things, milady," Tink answered, "You gave Daniel one."

That, apparently, was a very wrong thing to say.

Regina's face grew horrified.

"But I…how do you…" she spluttered.

Tink rushed, "We have a lot of shared history, milady. I think you forget that we grew up together at Fels Manor."

"Don't say anything about that," Regina hissed, memories of her and Tink running through gardens and hidden corridors flashing through her mind. Snow White's face appeared in her mind. A child. Then a teenager. A teenager speaking to Regina's mother. Cora's piercing eyes when she found her in the stables with Daniel.

His lifeless body.

"I know you loved him, Regina," Tink whispered, touching her gently on her hand. "But maybe it's time you found that same love with someone else."

"You think I can just love someone else?" Regina's eyes blazed. "Our love was true!"

"You could have more than one true love, Regina," Tink answered with a small smile. "If you let yourself."

There was silence in the room for a moment before Regina sighed, her eyes fixated upon her shoes. Was that true? What if it wasn't even love with Robin?

"You'll never know if you don't try," Tink smiled softly and Regina looked up at her with soft eyes that Tink hadn't seen since they were children.

"Thank you Tinkerbell," Regina said with a small smile, using the name she'd called her as a child. "But not a word of this to anyone."

* * *

Tink pushed open Killian's door without knocking, too many thoughts stirring in her head to be worried about common courtesies. But when she noticed his cold and wrinkled sheets, her eyes narrowed and she spun on her heel, walking over to the room next door, and knocking obnoxiously loudly as she hissed, "Open this door. Now."

There was the hushed sound of whispering before footsteps approached the door. A hurriedly clothed Princess Emma opened the door slightly and peeked out.

"Hey, Tink," she half-smiled. "Is everything okay?"

"Where is he?"

"Who?"

Tink pushed the door open with the strength of a knight and Emma's face grew horrified.

"Killian Jones, if you don't come out this second I will never speak to you again."

There was silence for a few moments until Tink saw Killian climbing out from beneath Emma's bed.

"The bed?" Tink quirked an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Well, I didn't know it was you," Killian answered, sitting on the edge of the mattress. At least he was wearing pants, Tink thought thankfully.

"And why didn't I know about  _you_?" Tink enquired, a little sadness seeping into her tone as she took a step back to lean on the table behind her. "And you," she looked pointedly at Emma who was approaching the bed in embarrassment. "I thought this ended a long time ago."

"We thought it had too," Emma answered, her voice hesitantly calm.

"And then I find out from  _Regina_  that you," she looked at Emma, "are pregnant?" She still questioned it, disinclined to believe it until she heard it come directly from Emma's mouth.

"Regina knows?" Emma asked at the same time as Killian inquired, "You know?"

"Yes to both," Tink sighed in resignation, sinking into the seat beside the table as she looked a little closer at the loose robe that Emma was wearing. It was true. She was showing. Wow. Emma was pregnant.

"You can't say anything, Tink," Emma pleaded.

"What about, Bae?" Tink asked, looking between the two of them, "Doesn't he deserve to know that the Engagement is a sham? If you two are sleeping together...if there's a child – "

"We were going to tell him, and you, today," Emma continued hurriedly. "Please, Tink."

"Backing out of the marriage agreement ends in war," Tink whispered, voicing aloud what they all knew to be true.

"Yes," Emma nodded.

"We don't want to start a war."

Tink's choice of words alerted Emma straight away to something else going on here.

_We?_

The Princess noticed Tink's still tousled hair that looked as though it had been hurriedly pinned back; kiss-swollen lips and fading pink marks along her collarbones and Emma let out a gasp. Those longing looks when they were playing cards and eating dinner finally made sense.

"You weren't exactly in your own bedroom last night, were you Tink?"

And judging by her blush, Emma's deductions were correct.

"This is way too complex to even try and comprehend," Emma sighed, running her hands through her hair as her hand unconsciously went to sit on her stomach.

"Well, I guess we'll have to tell Bae," Killian finally murmured.

"And talk to Regina," Tink added. "But I have a feeling we can do this."

Emma's hand found Killian's amongst the sheets, looking at the two of them, she muttered with a nod, "Together."

* * *

Regina was sitting in the library, watching the seconds tick by on the pocket watch she was swinging hypnotically in front of her eyes. She barely saw the shadow of her knight walking towards her, but when he was right in front of her, she stood up abruptly, her watch stuffed back into her pocket.

"I must admit, milady," Robin said softly, "I wasn't sure you'd come."

He reached his hand out to entwine with hers, but she pulled back momentarily.

"Ground rules, Locksley," Regina began, taking a step away from him. "Not in public places."

The man nodded.

"Two, no interrupting me when I'm working. I'm a busy woman."

"And three," Regina finished, "No  _touching_."

Robin's face fell and Regina smirked, pulling his fallen face up to hers where she placed a chaste and almost girly kiss at the corner of his mouth, pulling away to add.

"Unless I touch you first."


	22. Crash

Bae took the news surprisingly well with an, 'I always knew there was something going on between you two'.

"So, what do we do about it?" Emma asked him and he frowned.

"My father is not a merciful man," Bae sighed. "He'd probably declare you damaged goods before waging war upon your kingdom and most likely finding a way to take and kill your baby."

"What?!" Emma's eyes grew wide in fear. That was possibly the most horrible thing she could've thought of; and that she hadn't thought of it meant it was beyond her realms of comprehension. Could someone truly be so cruel?

"It would be better for him not to know," Bae frowned. "If there's any possible way…"

"I don't want to marry you, Bae," Emma answered simply, "not even as a ruse."

"Way to ruin a guy's ego," Bae rolled his eyes before throwing a wink at Tink who promptly blushed. "But I understand. You want a family."

"I don't know if…" Emma frowned, looking up at Killian's face, deep in thought. "If we spoke to my parents, do you think they'd be open to a merging of the kingdoms?"

"That kingdom has been in your family for generations," Killian answered, "I doubt Snow White will give it up on a whim." Although...if he had to, he'd give up his.

"This isn't a whim," Emma retorted, before sighing, "This is hell."

"Should've thought of that before you started banging."

"Baelfire!" Tink exclaimed in horror, but he had a cheeky smile on his face. "This is not a joke!"

"The knightmaiden's right," Regina spouted as she pushed upon the door to Baelfire's room. "This isn't a joke. Don't even think about the aftermath of this yet, we need to get this past Rumplestiltskin and the fact is, there's going to be a war. Your parents can win easily. Stiltskin's got no powerful allies, not a massive army."

_Except me, of course. Controlling him at every turn._

Regina kept those thoughts to herself.

See, what Baelfire didn't realise was that his father was simply weak. He wouldn't kill a child in cold-blood, that was just the demeanour that Regina had given him. And the power she could give him…well…

Snow White could be dead within the fortnight.

"Why are you smiling, Regina?" Emma enquired with a furrowed brow and the woman's face dropped. Oops.

"I'm excited for you guys to get your happy ending," she lied through her teeth.

Emma's brow furrowed as she smiled sadly, Killian squeezing her hand tightly beneath the table.

"Me too."

* * *

It had been an hour since their impromptu meeting, and Killian and Emma were curled up on his bed comfortably.

"David?"

"I don't want the poor kid to get confused."

"What about Leo, then."

"No offense, but your grandfather wasn't my favourite person of all time."

"Killian, you've got meetings," Regina's voice drawled through the closed door and Emma was jumping towards it to swing it open.

"Regina, what was your father's name?"

"Erm," her face took on a confused visage. "Henry?"

"Henry," Killian repeated appreciatively.

"Henry?" Emma liked it.

"Henry," Killian grinned in agreement. "I'll be ten minutes, Regina."

"That was easy," Emma said happily as she skipped back to the large bed and settled against his body. He was always warm. And even though the world was rushing full speed ahead, he was calming.

"But it's gonna be a girl, so," Killian shrugged.

"Allina," Emma murmured as she ran her hands over his clothed chest. He froze beneath her touch and Emma looked up at him hesitantly, her wide green eyes shining. "If that's okay?"

Killian couldn't believe that he had this woman in his arms. Carrying his child, with such the perfect things to say in such dire times.

"I love you," he whispered, leaning down to place his lips gently upon hers and Emma moaned into his lips, rolling into him and throwing her leg over his. She shaped her lips around his, tongue slipping lazily into his mouth as she reached for the laces of his pants.

"Again?" Killian murmured into her lips, "I have to meet Regina. She'll come bursting in if I don't go down there – " He broke off in surprise as Emma wrapped her hand around his length and slid upwards.

"I'll go down there," Emma grinned at him before sliding down his torso answering as she did, "Besides, I think they know better than to interrupt us when we're alone in a bedroom. This baby didn't get here on its own."

Killian began to laugh but was cut off by a groan of pleasure as Emma wrapped her lips around him.

"Love, I thought you were supposed to be the one who was craving pleasure," Killian breathed as he refrained from pushing himself harshly into her mouth.

"Who says this doesn't bring me pleasure," Emma whispered, as she pulled away and cocked an eyebrow at him. Grinning cheekily she continued, "Do you want to feel what this does to me?"

"Yes."

Emma laughed aloud before saying, "Unfortunately, I did just get dressed, so that'll have to wait for later."

"Emma," Killian groaned as she returned to her earlier ministrations. "Stop teasing me, love."

In retaliation, she hollowed out her cheeks and took him in deeper. Killian didn't hold back any longer – he couldn't – his hips moving against her of their own accord. She sucked and licked, driving him into a frenzy of deep set moans and groans. Emma was too good, and he was coming in mere minutes.

"Emma, I'm…"

She looked up at him quizzically. She could feel it. She always knew when he was. And as he clutched at her hair, she felt him thrust once more before spilling himself down her throat with a drawn out utterance of her name.

He slumped back into the pillows as Emma pulled off him, resettling him in his pants and retying his laces so it looked as though nothing had happened. Although, the flush of Killian's cheeks might give something away.

"Good?" Emma asked with a satisfied grin, settling back in his arms.

"Good," he agreed, nudging her nose with his own. Kissing her forehead he answered, "But now I really need to go."

"Fine," Emma rolled her eyes as she rolled off him and onto her side. "I'm going to sleep."

"It's eleven," Killian's brow furrowed.

"Well this one woke me up sickeningly this morning and then you proceeded to ravish me."

"I concede you were sick," Killian retorted, "But I believe it was  _you_  doing the ravishing."

"Go," Emma waved imperiously. "Maybe I won't be so mad at you when you come back if I've had a nap."

"Please," Killian grinned, "You can't stay mad at this face."

He was right. She couldn't.

* * *

"You named your horse Rocinante?" Robin's eyes were wide before he collapsed into sniggers.

"Don't laugh! I was ten!" Regina frowned as she returned her head to her cake. She shouldn't have started this. Robin was getting further under her skin; getting to know her. What if he didn't like what he saw?

"What did you call your horse when you were ten?"

"Robby," Robin answered without thinking. Regina's cake caught in her throat. As she choked, Robin jumped up and patted her on the back.

"You named your horse after yourself?" Regina wheezed as he rubbed upward patterns along her spine.

"I was four when I got him," Robin answered with a shrug.

"Egotist," Regina rolled her eyes as his hands moved up to her shoulders and she realised that he was massaging her shoulders and neck.

"Robin," she warned, although it may have sounded more like a moan.

"Mmm?"

"You're touching- oh!"

Her head bent down as his hands kneaded into her flesh. At that moment she almost threw her words out the window. Her clothes were a hindrance to his work and she wanted his hands on her.

"Something wrong, my lady?"

"No," she groaned as he touched a particularly tender spot.

"Are you sure?" His breath was warm on the back of her ear. A little too close for comfort.

"Alright, Locksley." Regina shot up. "I need to go back to work."

He merely leant back against the table as she went to turn away. She caught the pout on his face and found herself biting her lips. With a soft kiss to his lips, she took a few steps towards the door, only to find her arm pulled back and her lips back on warm ones.

"You kissed me first, milady," Robin muttered, muffled by her lips as Regina brought her hands up to his chest, intending to push him away. But instead she found herself kissing him back intensely, tongues tangling and hands fisting in his shirt.

When she finally pulled away, Robin didn't remove his hands from her hips and simply nuzzled his nose against hers. "Now, you can go," he said.

"Now I don't want to go," Regina admitted, sinking her head into the crook of his neck. She didn't see the wide smile gracing his face even as his eyes furrowed in worry.

Robin thought he'd be able to keep his emotions in check in order to understand what Regina was up to.

But things were getting intense.

And he wasn't too sure that he wanted to know anymore.

* * *

"I don't want you to go," Killian whispered, as he kissed Emma gently, holding her tightly in his arms. He was tracing his fingers up and down her naked body, over the curve of her breasts, her hips, her bump.

"It'll be over soon," Emma whispered, burrowing closer into the warmth of his chest, pulling the covers with her. "I'll be back soon."

_It was wishful thinking._

* * *

"I don't want to go," Baelfire murmured into Tink's neck as he kissed down her exposed skin, arms surrounding her as her back pressed up against his chest. "This will work, Tink."

Tink spun around to look at him, her eyes tender and loving, perhaps even tears shining in them. "I'll still love you, you know. Even if this all falls to pieces."

And with a kiss to her forehead, he gave his agreement.; thinking that he could get his father to come round…this could work…

_It was wishful thinking._

* * *

And when they all stood at the front door the next morning, they weren't alone. There were no fond farewells. Merely polite kisses on the cheek and longing looks as Bae and Emma piled into the carriage. Killian had wanted to go as well. Protection. Robin had offered his services too.

But they didn't want to chance any harm to Bae and Emma and the baby. They knew that Graham would be their protector anyway.

"Stay safe," Killian whispered as he helped her into the carriage.

Emma merely smiled and closed the door.

She worried the entire two day carriage ride to Cassadia.


	23. Pieces on the Floor

King Rumplestiltskin was as unpleasant as Emma remembered. He practically ignored her which she was slightly grateful of. She practically ran to Graham's side and threw her arms around him. Regina had said that she'd sent word ahead so he already knew. And he hugged her back tightly and carefully.

"Are you okay?" he asked genuinely.

"Physically, yeah," Emma answered with a sigh, "But mentally I'm about to snap."

"You should go rest."

"I want to get this over with," Emma whispered back her eyes fixated upon the stones of the ground as though they were the most interesting thing in the world. "I want to go home."

"Just tonight, Emma," Graham said, comfortingly. "Spend the night here, head off with Baelfire tomorrow and go straight to Anselor. I will tell my father and try and work something out."

"I don't want anything to happen to you," Emma whispered.

"But if you stay, something  _will_  happen to you. And however much I hate Killian at the moment for going behind everyone's backs and deflowering you –"

"I was present too," Emma rolled her eyes.

"He's older, and my protégée and I should have instilled my values better."

"Please stop insulting me before I punch you," Emma hissed.

"Either way, I won't let you or him or your baby get hurt," Graham answered. "I'll try and stop war, but you've rendered the alliance null and void. And my father once spurned, is a formidable enemy."

"Thank you, Graham," Emma answered with a tight hug, "You're a true friend. I can't tell you how much I wish you were king."

"If this amounts in war," Graham sighed, "It may be sooner than we think."

* * *

"You do not think! You are  _mine_. If I ask you to bring me a war, a war is what you will bring me. If I ask for Emma Swan's head on a silver platter, you will bring me her pretty little head on a silver platter. And if I say you reveal their secret to Rumplestiltskin, then by the gods, he will know and Princess Emma should be fleeing for her life."

"My queen," Graham answered with a hardened face, "Surely not even you are that heartless to place the princess in such a position."

"Hence, the  _fleeing_  part," Regina rolled hers eyes. Graham was almost shaking as he watched Regina abruptly end the conversation. She wouldn't…

But a pain in his chest, and whispered words in his mind, made certain that her orders would be fulfilled.

Rumplestiltskin would know. Tonight.

* * *

"Emma!"

The Princess heard the commotion outside of her room in the moments before Bae's yells caught her ears. He was banging loudly on her door.

"Emma we have to go! We have to run!"

She was pulling open the door in seconds, her shocked face staring at the ever-calm Baelfire's panicked and desperate one.

"What's happening?"

"No time," he answered, rushing past her and running to push he wardrobe aside. Pressing down on a stray brick, a door pushed backwards and with Emma's help, they managed to push it aside. "In," he said quickly, listening for the footsteps of the King's Guard that seemed to be edging even closer.

"Stables," Baelfire said as he ran down the tunnel after her. "Take any horse, and ride for Anselor as fast as it will carry you."

"Wait," Emma froze and Bae almost ran into her. "You aren't coming with me?"

"Emma," he whispered, before pulling her in for a hug. He was shaking and it scared her. "I have to give you a chance to live."

"Thank you, Bae," Emma whispered as she pulled away, looking into his shining eyes as their skin separated. She watched him give a dutiful nod before backing away, drawing his sword and answered, "Go. Escape."

And Emma gave him a soft thankful smile. Then she ran.

* * *

Later that night, as he closed the gates to his citadel, Rumplestiltskin smiled. The Princess had escaped, but that was of little consequence. It was time to make this war official.

With a wave of his hand, his mirror swayed.

"My dear Lady Regina," Rumplestiltskin said, smiling cruelly at his mirror. "I suppose you like to think that my indisposition towards compassion has something to do with your weak hold on my heart, twisting and turning like a marionette.

"I would like to inform you now, that that has never been, nor will it ever be the case. Your magic is far weaker than anything I could do without a second thought. You do not pull the strings, however much you may try. I must admit, I did not foresee this child for powers of prophesy do thus far elude me, but I will say this.

"War is upon you. Upon Mercian and Anselor. And I may not have the largest army, but I do not need one for my army is my mind and my magic.

"And you, dearie, are effectively powerless.

"Good day."

Regina stared at her mirror blankly for a few moments after Rumplestiltkin's face disappeared until finally a desperate and unseemly roar escaped her mouth. She threw the nearest thing, a metallic paperweight at the mirror and watched it shatter into a thousand pieces in a shower of reflections.

She didn't hear the sound of frenzied footsteps running through the halls as she collapsed to the floor. How dare he?! That stupid little imp! How dare he play her for a fool!

"Regina?"

Robin's hesitant voice broke through Regina's tears as she clutched herself, curled up on the floor beside her bed. She didn't look up as he came and couched beside her, sliding onto the floor and slipping one arm around her back. Regina couldn't help it, she curled into him.

"What's wrong?"

"You'll hate me," she whispered, knowing that if she began, she would tell him everything. She didn't want to tell him, but he deserved to know. Why did he have to come in and be with her…be so perfect…

"I could never," Robin whispered, a kiss to the top of her head. And he knew it to be true. Somewhere along the way, he'd learnt that she couldn't be everything he'd assumed. She was good.

"You will," she whispered.

And she told him anyway.

* * *

The guard who opened the door as it neared midnight nearly dropped his weapons when he saw the bedraggled woman at the castle doors of Anselor. Emma was soaked to the bone, her skin deathly pale as she coughed into the night, "Please. My mother…"

It was a few moments before the guard realised that the woman in front of him was Princess Emma. Picking her frail form up, he swung her into her arms and practically ran to the King and Queen's bedchambers, trying to ignore the way that the Princess's hands hovered protectively over her protruding stomach.

When Snow White answered the guards calls, it was to gasp in horror and love and hurry them into the Princess's bedchambers, a bath being drawn in the dead of night as her mother became her maidservant and sought to help her in any way she could. She warmed her, dressed her, brought her food.

And she never asked; Emma simply told.

When she was leaning up against her mother, the illusion of safety in her arms, Emma whispered, "War's coming, mother. I'm sorry. I'm sorry I broke the alliance."

"It shouldn't have been brought about in the first place," Snow answered, stroking her daughter's hair. "This isn't your fault."

 _It is_ , Emma thought, her body curling once again as she felt her child protest by sending out a kick. "I did some improper things."

"I know," Snow answered, as though it were common knowledge, or at least, as though she'd known all along. It was hard to miss now that she was clearly showing. "And now we'll deal with things."

"I want it all to go away, mama," Emma whimpered, burrowing further into her mother's body like a child. "I don't want to fight Bae's father."

"You won't, Emma," Snow whispered, kissing her lightly on the cheek as she shuffled out from beneath her daughter. "But we will."

And as the door closed behind Snow White, Emma struggled to fall asleep, knowing that the morning would bring with it a blood red dawn.


	24. Firecracker Sitting on my Headboard

When Emma awoke at dawn the next morning, she glanced at her window and saw that the fields towards the Eastern Woods were covered in metallic shades of silver and scarlet. When a knock came at her door, she clutched her quilt to her in fear, before her mother came in with a permanent frown on her face.

"Good," she said, "You're up."

"What's going on mother?"

"Rumplestiltskin's men have advanced on the Eastern Plains. I've sent word to the outlying villages to prepare the knights, as well as to Mercian and Falei."

_Killian would be involved too._

"Is there no…words that can fix this mother?"

"No, my Princess," her mother's face softened.

"In that case," Emma moved to get up out of bed, already plaiting her hair. She had to move before things started to consume her. "I'm going to go and help Ruby. I assume they've already started preparing the infirmary?"

"Yes, but Emma, you're –"

"I'm with child, not incompetent," Emma answered swiftly as she went to go and find her clothes.

"Be careful, Emma," Snow called from beyond the dressing screen.

"I will be."

* * *

The casualties started coming in by midday. It was true that Rumplestiltskin's army could be outnumbered several times by the combined soldiers of Anselor,  _if_  they'd been expecting it. But with barely six hours warning, numbers were down. Emma knew for a fact that some of the best knights, like Robin and Tink, were on leave. They wouldn't be here anytime soon. And since Mercian was in on the battle…well, they'd probably stick with Killian.

 _That's good,_  she reminded herself,  _They'll protect him._

The minute Emma entered the infirmary, she was bombarded by Ruby's ample breasts in her face as the woman clutched her desperately to her bosom.

"You, Emma," she breathed, "Are never leaving my sight again. You're gone for two weeks and war breaks out. I have no idea what happened but I am so glad to have you back."

"Ruby, you're breaking me," Emma finally mumbled into her dress and the woman let her go, hands clamped on her shoulders.

"Where's Bae?"

"He stayed behind to try and talk some sense into his father," Emma whispered, her eyes finding the ground. For some reason, guilt was flooding through her body.

"Hey," Ruby chucked her under the chin and forced her to look up into her grey-green eyes which were creased with worry. "It's not your fault."

"Isn't it?" Emma glanced down at her stomach and Ruby's eyes followed. As they widened in surprise, Emma felt herself being pulled back into a hug.

"It is not your fault that Rumplestiltskin is a douche," Ruby hissed as she held her friend, taking her hand, she led them aside to a small chaise. "I take it this happened a while ago?"

"Four months," Emma nodded.

"Killian?" Ruby enquired and Emma inclined her head.

"Okay," Ruby nodded, before standing up. Emma flushed.

"Okay?" she argued in frustration, needing more comfort than that, "That's all you have to say? Okay?"

"What else am I supposed to say?" Ruby answered. "I could say that it was a bad idea, which it was. That neither of you thought through the consequences, which, obviously you didn't. Or I could say that the love you guys have is something spoken of in Epic Romances. But none of it makes a difference right now. We're at war. And we have to win it. We have to do our jobs, and everything else, comes later."

Ruby turned on her heel and walked away with Emma rushing after her quickly.

"Love you, Ruby," Emma whispered as they began to cut bandages side by side.

"Love you too, Ems," Ruby answered quietly. And they continued their work in silence.

* * *

Regina awoke the next morning in last night's clothes, alone in her bed with no idea how she'd gotten there. Last thing she remembered, she'd been crying into Robin and talking and she must have drifted off.

It was late in the morning; the sun was high in the sky. And she wondered why Killian had yet to storm in and wake her up. She was normally bustling about at the crack of dawn and for her to still be in bed at this time was unheard of.

The jumped at the creaking of her door as it swung open. Carrying a tray of breakfast, Robin of Locksley, waltzed into the room and placed it on her table before finally catching sight of her sitting up in bed and watching her every move. His face broke into a hesitant smile but Regina remained cautious.

"What are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing?" Robin answered, "I'm bringing you breakfast."

"Did you poison it," Regina asked, eyeing him wearily, still refusing to move.

"Why would I –"

"I'd poison it," Regina finally said, swinging herself off the bed, "If I'd learnt everything you had last night."

"But you regret it," Robin said as though it was the simplest thing in the world.

Regina was quiet for a moment as she looked at Robin. Finally, she realised what she had to do.

"Get out."

"What, but I –"

Regina's hand flew upwards, and Robin's body with it. As though clasping him around the neck with magic, she escorted him back to her door, placing him back on the ground and death staring him from across the room.

"Get. Out."

And even though he was rubbing at his throat in pain, he held a stubbornness in his eyes that Regina couldn't comprehend.

"No."

And before Regina could full comprehend what he meant by that, he was kissing her. He'd practically run across the room to take her in his arms and crush his lips to hers. Regina's heart beat erratically as Robin punishingly pressed his mouth to hers.

"You did bad things," he whispered in between kisses. "Doesn't make you a bad person."

"I've come too far...to give up now," Regina hissed even as and angry lust overcame her and she bit down on Robin's lips. He growled and let his hands wander down her hips, latching behind her thighs to drag her legs up around his hips. Her back was digging into the post of her bed, but within seconds, Robin had moved them to her bed, dropping her onto her covers in a moment's separation before covering her body with his and proceeding to kiss down her neck, towards her wrinkled bodice.

This time, he didn't make any comments, simply undoing her laces and loosening her dress as he sucked on the skin above her collarbone.

"It's never too late," he whispered into her skin. Regina flushed in anger;  _how dare he?!_

With the additional strength of her magic, she flipped him over onto his back and straddled him. She had her own clothing off much faster than he could have managed. She knew she could've just snapped away their covering in a split second, but there was something ridiculously satisfying about tearing one another's clothes off.

"Maybe you just love the darkness," Regina whispered as she latched onto his chest, kissing down the newly exposed skin as she undid his buttons and finally threw his shirt to the side as he sat up and gripped her by the waist, sliding his hands up to unclasp her corset slowly.

"Maybe I just love you," he answered, eyes wide with honesty, and Regina wasn't too sure what to make of that, sliding her hand down to his pant laces instead, and reaching inside of them to take him in her hand.

Throwing her corset aside, Robin swirled his tongue down her collarbone towards her breasts, laving over her nipples as he brushed his fingers against her core. Tugging at her panties, he pushed her onto her back and slid them down her legs, casting them aside as he divested himself of his shoes and pants.

As he hovered above her, he took in her curvaceous body and raven hair in disarray, and despite the darkening of his eyes, he still somehow managed to look tender. When he lowered himself, skin against skin, he whispered – breath upon her lips –

"And you are  _good_."

And he didn't give her a chance to respond, capturing her lips in a searing kiss as his finger swept through her wetness, rubbing against her clit. Regina arched into him, a gasp coming from her lips as the knight positioned himself and eased slowly into her warm heat.

As their hips began to move against each other's in tandem, Robin's fingers clutched at Regina's body, kneading into her warm flesh and kneading at her breasts, lowering his lips to her skin to leave red marks across her body.

With a groan, Regina pushed him back harshly, forcing him to slip out of her and climbing atop him once more, she took back her control. Sliding onto him, she placed her hands flat on his chest for leverage, a small smirk upon her face as she began to roll her hips over his and his head bent back in pleasure.

"You're right, I  _am_ good," Regina grinned and Robin's head snapped up, a little angry.

"You know that's not what I meant," he hissed before he was cut off as he felt Regina intentionally clamp her muscles down on him. "Fuck, Regina."

"Oh, yeah, you thought I was  _good_ ," Regina hissed as she bent over him, her breasts rubbing against his chest. "I'm not good." She bounced on him harder, trying to find release quicker. "I was never good. I want to kill."

"You want revenge. You don't want to kill. And you don't have to want it."

"It's all I have," Regina whispered, almost brokenly, her lips seeking his once again as she felt her pleasure building in the pit of her stomach.

"You have me," he whispered as he felt her walls clenching around him and her body shaking above him as she came above him, head bowed over his and hair falling in a frame between them. With a few more upwards thrusts he was following her into oblivion, their bodies finally stilling.

But Regina refused to lean into him and collapse in the aftermath of sex. Instead she watched him carefully, her brow furrowed.

"I can't make up for what I've done, Robin," Regina whispered.

"You can try," the knight answered tenderly, tucking her hair behind her ear and gently caressing her face with a small smile.

* * *

It was almost three days later, when the castle was under siege, that Emma finally realised what this war meant. She felt like the strangest human being when she realised that everyone around her was scared out of their brains, rushing around in madness and she was fleeing with a purposeful calm. To end this madness.

It had been three days of bloodshed and death, and she'd already seen hundreds pass on to the next realm.

This was because of her.

And so she ran. Back to her room through the battling unseen, until she found herself in the western wing, as yet unreached by Cassadian forces. It was there that Emma called to the silence, "Rumplestiltskin."

"That's  _King_  to you, dearie," his voice came from behind her and she spun around quickly. His eyes scanned her from head to toe before a small smile crept onto his face.

"That baby is not my son's," Rumplestiltskin stated and Emma gulped.

"No."

"Then I have no hesitations in killing you," Rumplestiltskin said, "No one breaks deals with me, dearie," he added with a dark and terrible grin.

"I'm sorry, my Lord, I didn't mean for this to happen –"

"But it did," he interrupted, "And it will get me a new kingdom anyway. So goodbye, Princess."

Rumplestiltskin swung his arm and Emma went flying, air rushing past her ears before she landed harshly on the floor. She immediately reached for her stomach protectively. He moved disgruntledly inside her. But he was okay.

And just as Emma cowered, her final thoughts thinking that this was it. She was going to give him what he wanted and the rest of the war would be swift. No one else would die. Her parents would surrender.

But Rumplestiltskin's hand never made it into her chest to steal her heart. Instead, when she opened her eyes, she was faced with his unconscious body against the wall opposite her. Looking up in hopeful shock, she spotted her saviour.

"Regina?" Emma whispered with a furrowed brow her breath coming in gasps as she spotted Killian's advisor coming towards her along the corridor. "Regina, what are you doing?"

"Something good," Regina answered poignantly with a clearly adamant face. And with one firm twist of her hand, they had both disappeared in a cloud of green smoke.

The war raged on behind them.


	25. Happiness is Just Outside My Window

**Five and a Half Months Later**

Fels Manor was silent. Except for the screams of pain as a new life pushed itself into the world.

"Breathe, Emma!" Regina whispered as her hand was constricted once more. "Push when he tells you –"

"Why don't you try and get the damn baby out, Regina!" Emma hissed before letting out another cry of horror as another jolt of fire ran through her body.

"Almost there, Princess," Merlin muttered comfortingly. "He's almost here. Give me one more push!"

With an ungodly roar, Emma gave one final push and heard the first cries of her child as Merlin smiled, a bright beam of light echoing around them. Hope filled Emma with strength as she brought her child into the world; but she was filled with strength for as long as she forgot she couldn't see him.

Ever.

"Take him," Emma breathed after a moment, refusing to look at the child being offered to her. Despair filled her being as she muttered brokenly, "Take him, Regina."

"But Emma, that wasn't the point of me saving you!" Regina's eyes widened as she realised what Emma had come to plot in the last five months. Regina had thought Emma would keep the child. Raise it like she wanted. Her and Killian...they'd been so hopeful...

"It's the only way to fix things. He can never be mine. I can't be a mother. He deserves a life where he won't be shunned. He deserves his best chance."

"Emma," Regina whispered as she took the child from the hands of Merlin and brought them to Emma's side. "His best chance is with you."

"So it's a boy," she whispered, her eyes glazed over as she turned her head to the window, not letting the tears fall as she took in the illusion of cloudy mountains in the distance where darkness began to recede from the lands of Cassadia and Anselor. She didn't know why.

She didn't know that the child in Regina's arms held great power. Power passed on from his mother. Power created by the love of his parents.

Power enough to radiate through the hearts of thousands of people.

"Good," she whispered, drifting off into sleep.

* * *

"Killian, what are you doing?!" Tink burst into the throne room without knocking, her body splattered with blood and her eyes wide with shock. "The battle is on our doorstep and you're holed up in your throne room like some kind of coward?!"

"You're right," he murmured, not even bothering to defend himself. Tink had chosen those words in particular to play in his pride. But it was almost as though he had none anymore. "Let them come."

"Fucking hell, Jones," Tink yelled, climbing the stairs before slapping him clean across the face. "You're the fucking king!"

"My bounty hunter just came back," Killian whispered as though he didn't feel the bright red mark that Tink left across his face. "Five and a half months. Scouring kingdom after kingdom. And she is nowhere."

"Keep searching then," Tink pleaded. "Keep fighting. Nothing is final until you see her body burned upon a funeral pyre."

"Five months, Tink," Killian whispered desperately, his blue eyes dull with uncertainty. "If she's gone, then I didn't just lose her."

_He lost the baby._

"Get up," Tink ordered, and Killian grew confused by her tone. "Pick up your sword."

He did.

"We will fight for her. Because she didn't deserve her fate. We fight," Tink whispered, "So that no one can enforce such a fate again. Be the king, Killian."

"Aye," Killian whispered, looking out the throne room doors. "I suppose you're right, my friend."

But just as the two of them walked side by side to the doors of his castle, they were stopped by a blinding beam that hit them square in the chest. A warmth filled Killian's body even though he didn't know what it was. But it gave him hope.

It felt like love.

And when they finally opened the doors, they were met with the sight of an armistice. They were met with muttered whispering.

_King Rumplestiltskin is dead!_

_Prince Graham is to take the throne! He declares an end to the war!_

"Tink," Killian turned around to her, begging an explanation. "The fuck is this?"

"I'm not sure, Killian," Tink answered with a hesitant smile. "But I'm gonna say… we won?"

"Aye," Killian nodded, his eyes looking beyond the people, tinted with sadness, and yet still hopeful. "I think we did."

* * *

"I quite like the look of that cuff on your wrist father," Graham said as he watched his father staring menacingly at him from beyond a jail cell.

"And here, I thought you were Regina's pawn," Rumplestiltskin spat. "Doesn't she have your heart?"

"Gave it back to me five months ago," Graham shrugged, "Finally got her own, I suppose."

"And what are you going to do now, boy," Rumplestiltskin hissed. "You have no ambition; no direction."

"I have a heart, father," Graham answered as he exited the dungeon, "It's more than I can say for you."

And he closed the door upon the darkness.

* * *

"Tink," Bae whispered, watching her dismount her horse in awe. It was two weeks since the war ended and he'd been waiting for her - hoping for her...There were scars across her arms and one in particular that lined her cheek. But he didn't care. She was alive.

He ran across the stairs of Castle Cassadia to take her in his arms without a second thought. She gave a little yelp of surprise when she spun around and was met by his arms enveloping her.

"You're alive," he whispered into her hair. "You're alive."

"Yeah," Tink murmured into his shoulder, "But you may crush me if you don't stop hugging me."

"Never," he answered, pulling away only to lean down and press his lips against hers. "Marry me?"

Tink's eyes widened. "What?"

"Marry me," he repeated. "I don't want to go through another war and not have you by my side."

"I'm not giving up my knighthood," Tink answered, a smile creeping onto her face as she ran her hands up and down his sides.

"I would hate it if you did," he answered with a sneaky grin, "Those pants do amazing thin-"

Tink was kissing him then, her arms sliding up around his neck as she whispered, "Save it for the bedroom, Baelfire."

He sighed when he pulled away and disentangled his arms. Tink's brow furrowed. "That was  _now_."

"Oh!" The grin was back on his face as he smirked, "Race you?"

"I don't know where it is!" Tink yelled after him as he sprinted off.

"Girl doesn't know the way to her marriage bed," Baelfire rolled his eyes when he got to the doorway, stopping to hold out his hand for her.

"I didn't say yes," Tink reminded him.

"Well, I'll just have to convince you, then," Bae grinned, pulling her inside the castle before the door fell shut behind them.

* * *

Emma told no one where she'd been for six months. But she returned, weary and withdrawn, to the castle of Anselor four weeks after giving birth to her son.

When she arrived, Ruby immediately took her to her room, but Emma didn't say a word. She spent three weeks in seclusion. Her only visitors being her mother and her best friend.

She kept hoping that he'd come. That maybe he'd be there beside her when she woke up.

But it was too much. In the aftermath of the war, she was still the crown princess. She was still going to rule one day. And now, more than ever, wouldn't be the time to…

"Princess?"

It was the Friday of the third week, and Emma was standing on her balcony watching the envoy of nobility coming in from the entire land. Stability was gone. It had to be rebuilt. Her parents would ensure it. She would ensure it.

"Come in…oh." Upon turning around, Emma hadn't found the dark haired woman she'd been expecting. Instead, she found a sad looking Lady Regina in the doorway. Her hands empty, Emma's eyes widened. No matter the pain she was feeling, her child –

"He's fine, he's with Robin," Regina said quickly as though reading Emma's thoughts.

"Good," Emma said with a nod. "That's…that's good."

"Emma, he needs you."

"He doesn't," Emma said sharply.

"Well, either way," Regina said with a sigh, knowing a lost cause, "Your father wants you in the throne room."

"Since when are you his messenger?"

Regina didn't answer, giving a shrug and walking out the door. Emma followed soon after, absently wondering why her father wasn't in the counsel chambers where he normally held matters of state. As she opened the door, she was met with an almost empty room.

"Father, you wanted to see me… _you_."

"You," a relieved Killian Jones answered, his worried face breaking into a dazzling smile as he rushed across the room to sweep Emma into his arms. She was stiff as the door closed shut behind them, reluctant to meld into his arms as she used to. He was a reminder of everything she couldn't have. And while once she may have danced the fine line between wanting and having...now she _needed._

And in turn, she could never have.

"Emma," his voice whispered as he ran his warm hands up and down her back. And finally, the princess broke. But not in the way she wanted to.

A loud sob escaped her lips as her body collapsed, falling in on itself. The only support was in his arms and he didn't let go. He wouldn't let go. And she loved him for it, but it hurt all the more.

"Don't," she whispered brokenly, trying to push herself off him. "Just leave."

"No," he answered, pulling away only to cup her face in his hands. "I promised."

"Your promises are worth nothing now!" Emma exclaimed in desperation, tearing herself away from him. She couldn't look at him. "We can't  _be_ , Jones. We're two people from two different broken countries that need fixing. And we just can't."

"Even for our child."

"Especially for our child," Emma retorted angrily, fighting back her tears that dotted her face. "I asked Regina to care for him and she will. Be his guide for all you want; but he won't have a good life here. He'd be looked down upon. The kingdom would revolt for the unreliability of their future queen. We are broken kingdoms, my King."

"Killian," he corrected, stepping forward. "Emma, please."

"The world isn't ready for a love like ours,  _Killian_ ," she hissed, but he continued forwards, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her to him until their foreheads were touching.

"When do you think they will be?" Killian whispered.

"Not now," Emma answered breathlessly against his lips as she trembled in uncertainty. "Maybe never."

"Then I will outwait the world," Killian murmured, stroking her hair delicately.

"I love you," she murmured, looking into his endless blue eyes, the first time she had ever spoken the words aloud, and knowing as she did that they would probably be the last.

"And I love you, my Princess."

They kissed.

Then they parted.

And the world went on.


	26. Home

**_Epilogue:_  ** _Home_

* * *

**Six Years Later**

The day was perfectly clear when Emma went riding through the western forest on her own. It had been many years since the kingdom of Anselor had found themselves at peace once more, and many years since her parents had forced her to take a guard with her when she went riding.

The winter solstice was fast approaching.

"Henry!"

Emma gave a soft and sad little smile, tears welling in her eyes even as she pushed aside the branches to the clearing where she knew she'd find her unicorn. Every year. The winter solstice. This was where she'd be.

"Henry, come back here! It's not safe!"

"Don't be such a sissy, papa," a boy's voice returned in a hushed whisper. It seemed to be getting louder as Emma got closer, catching a glimpse of the unicorn's soft glow through the trees.

"Unicorns aren't our friends, Henry," the man's voice berated. "They can be dangerous."

"You're being silly, Papa," the little boy answered, the sound of his huff gracing Emma's ears.  _Wishful thinking,_  she reminded herself, nothing more.

Or at least, that was what she thought until she felt someone tugging at the bottom of her tunic.

"Excuse me, Miss," the little boy said, looking up at her with a toothy grin. Too much in shock, Emma stepped aside when she realised that she was blocking the path to the unicorn. When she finally regained control of her mouth and realised that those voices were actual people, she asked gently, "Shouldn't you be listening to your father?"

"He doesn't always know what's best," the boy called back with an impish grin, before turning around and eyeing her expectantly.

"Well?" he enquired. "Aren't you coming?"

Emma frowned, before heading after him. If the boy's father was nowhere in sight, surely she should look after him, shouldn't she? "Okay," she finally said. It was strange, she wondered, she felt an urge to protect him.

When the boy, Henry, she remembered with a pang of familiarity, pointed out the unicorn with a grin of delight, Emma couldn't help but let a smile grace her own face. His joy was infectious.

But the unicorn noticed them almost straight away. And Emma gave a sigh as she went to pull Henry back. However, there was no fear in that unicorn's eyes. Instead, it gazed at them with a sparkling laughter, as though it knew something they didn't.

And when it began to step cautiously towards them, Emma held Henry back by his shoulders, before shuffling him behind her. The unicorn continued to advance and Emma continued to remain fearful, until it looked her in the eyes, bent its head, and nuzzled the side of its face against her arm.

Emma's eyes widened in shock as the unicorn looked back at her, as if asking permission. Bending down, Emma crouched to the same height as Henry and let the wondrous boy hold out his hand with a murmured, "Be careful."

The unicorn bent down and nuzzled the boys palm before licking it. Henry let out a soft laugh as he murmured, "It feels funny." Emma smiled as she heard a voice start up again, "Henry! Henry where are you!"

Strange, Emma thought with a mild frown, the voice seemed familiar.

But the unicorn didn't falter when it heard the voice, allowing Henry to stroke its face and its neck gently. "Henry!" the voice was frantic now.

"Over here," Emma called out in a carrying voice as she put her hands on Henry's shoulders as the boy questioned her for silent permission. But even she wasn't going to let him just ride off on a unicorn.

The sound of leaves crushing behind her signified more than she ever thought possible.

* * *

Killian Jones was frozen.

His child was patting a unicorn, and the woman beside him…no…it couldn't be…

"Emma," he finally choked out.

She spun around, her face confused for a moment before her mouth fell open and her eyes widened in shock. "Killian?" Her eyes went from him to the boy then back to him. Henry realised something was going on and his brow creased before realisation dawned. Turning to his father he grew excited.

"Papa, this is Emma?" Henry's voice was wondrous, before he wrapped his arms around Emma's waist and clung to her, "You're here! You can make Papa happy again!"

Emma's brow furrowed as she looked from Henry to Killian in confusion. "What…"

"He…" Killian could barely speak. After all these years, she was just as beautiful. "He thinks that you can make me happy. I…I used to tell him stories…"

Emma's heart ached with the inability to run to him and hold him in her arms. It would make her happy, that much she knew.

"And is he right?"

"I'm still here you know," Henry pouted, crossing his arms, but a playful smile still in his eyes. "Of course I'm right. Papa will be happy and you can be my new mother."

Oh.

"New mother?" Emma's face was downcast. She'd had those few moments…she'd hoped…

But then Killian was in front of her, lifting her chin with his still roughened fingers, his blue eyes tear glazed as he drank in her every feature.

" _Only_  mother," he whispered, brushing his fingers over her cheek and Emma bit down on her lip, her brow furrowed.

"But Regina…"

"She did raise him," Killian whispered, "As much as I did. But she was never his mother."

"Papa!" Henry interrupted, his wide eyes open in curiosity as his six year old brain put two and two together. "Is Emma…my mother?"

Emma took the chance then to look at him – to truly look at him. He had her eyes, Killian's face – oh how the girls would swoon. And Emma felt tears welling in her eyes. After all this time.

"Henry."

Why hadn't she realised sooner? That conversation about what they would name their child. Henry for a boy, Allina for a girl. They'd stuck with it.  _Henry._

Emma collapsed into tears as she sunk to the ground, pulling Henry into a deep hug that she never wanted to let him go from. Killian placed his hand on the neck of the white unicorn beside them.

"You, buddy," Killian whispered to the unicorn fondly as a tear slipped past his eye. "You planned this all along didn't you?"

And the unicorn's eyes remained innocently blank, even if Killian could have sworn he saw a sparkle of mirth in acquiescence.

* * *

King Killian of Mercian and Princess Emma of Anselor were married the following Spring. Many of the common folk didn't realise what exactly that meant, but word spread quickly through the peoples.

_"_ _They say that it's to thank him for defeating Rumplestiltskin in the war –"_

_"…_ _It's because of that little bastard running around. You all know that Princess Emma is past marrying age. She can't be choosy…"_

_"_ _You remember she went missing during the war and no one can account for her whereabouts. Perhaps the child…"_

_"_ _The countries are united under one rule. Apparently we are getting a new name."_

But Killian and Emma couldn't care less for the words. They toured the newly combined kingdom to the joy of the people, their son cuddled to his mother's side as she showered him with years of lost affection. And despite the gossip, the people loved them. For Princess Emma was kind. And she made their old king happy once more. The land was flowering; it was as good a time as any to merge two countries into one.

Plus, a happy royal family and a merged kingdom meant lower taxes.

So when finally they arrived in Mercian, they were greeted warmly by Regina and Robin with their infant son Roland. Regina held onto Emma far longer than necessary as she whispered apology after apology in her ear. But when Emma broke away, it was only to hold onto Regina's arms and whisper, "Thank you."

And that night, Emma watched over her son, tucking him in as disbelief flooded her being.

"I'm so lucky to have you, Henry," Emma whispered as she pulled the covers up around him.

"I'm glad you came back, mama," Henry grinned up at her before curling into his side. "I love you."

"I love you more," Emma said, kissing his nose as he giggled.

Killian waited until Emma had turned off the light before approaching her. He'd heard the exchange down the corridor and it filled him with such great joy that he wanted to burst.

"Are you ready to go to bed, my lovely, beautiful, sexy, wife?" Killian's voice whispered huskily from behind her, arms wrapping around her waist as she was enveloped by his warm and familiar scent.

"Two more minutes," she answered, with a soft smile. He planted a soft kiss on her shoulder before leaving her in the doorway, watching her son's chest rising and falling in sleep. With soft steps, she walked over and placed another gentle kiss on his forehead. After a few more moments, she left him in the darkness to sleep in peace.

Killian was already lying in bed when Emma arrived, a smile permanently etched upon her face.

"Someone's happy," he whispered as she got into bed with him. He was already shirtless, his book put to the side. She climbed atop him and gave him a glowing smile before planting a tender kiss on his lips.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Emma enquired, leaning back as she went to remove her nightgown. A lazy grin spread across Killian's face as he took in Emma's visage with a smirk. She leaned down and covered his chest with her naked body, sliding over the growing bulge in his pants as she leant down to kiss his chest. Peeking up at him she grinned, "I have a very sexy man beneath me who chose to hold out on all other offers of marriage for me even though it was possible we would never meet again. You took care of our son; you loved him. And then you married me."

"Worst mistake of my life," Killian rolled his eyes as she reached his mouth. Emma froze, sneaking her hand beyond the loose waistband of his cotton pants. He gasped as she took him in her hand.

"Say that again," she whispered against the corner of his mouth, rubbing up and down his length.

"Best mistake of my life," Killian rectified and Emma nodded, kissing him full on the mouth and murmuring, "Better."

Killian groaned as Emma continued stroking him, finally taking her by the waist and flipping her onto her back. Hovering over her, he placed a few gentle kisses on her collarbone.

"Let me make love to you, my Princess?"

"Bit of a demotion, isn't it?" Emma teased as she realised her title was still the same, only his has changed. "From King to a Prince Consort."

"And I'd do it a hundred times over to see you smile like you are now," Killian answered honestly, leaning down to kiss her lips gently. "Besides, I don't think the world is ready for a dual kingship yet. To be frank, I don't think your father and I are ready for that. He still blames me for taking your honour."

"Well, didn't you?" Emma smirked.

"Are we going to do this, or not?" he teased, rubbing himself against her and causing her to moan.

"Yes," she whispered, eyes blinking open, "And yes to the other question too."

"You'll let me make love to you?" Killian confirmed.

"Always," Emma whispered as he leant down over her, sealing her promise with a kiss as she struggled to push his pants down past his hardened length.

He pressed his fingers against her core and groaned, his self-control waning. "Emma, you're so fucking wet."

"Shh," Emma whimpered. "There are children in the castle."

"These are thick walls," Killian answered.

"No they aren't," Emma grinned, looking up towards the wall above them. "I recall you coming back and making some particularly delicious sounds one night…"

"You little voyeur," Killian smirked, kissing her once more, tongue plundering her mouth.

"It's not my fault you were loud," she answered with a grin. "But there isn't anyone next door now."

"Is that permission to make you scream, Princess?" Killian muttered, pinching her clit and making her gasp before moaning as he began to rub gently once more, pressing on finger into her, followed by another.

"Get in me, Killian."

"As you wish," he smirked, his fingers replaced quickly as he thrust himself inside of her in one long movement. Emma groaned loudly, pushing herself onto him as he began to thrust as a slow and languid pace, their bodies moving together in a slow tango of panting breaths and murmured whispers of love.

Promises, that for the first time, they knew they could keep.

And when they came together, they were in one mind that shattered. A mind of life and love; of beauty and hope. They settled against each other, warm from pleasure and content in the knowledge that they would wake up to each other's faces, Emma smiled.

"I think the world finally caught up," Emma whispered into his shoulder warmly. He grinned, his words coming back to him.

"And to think," Killian mused, "This all started because I opened the wrong door."

"I think that you, most definitely, opened the  _right_  door," Emma answered, grinning at him.

"Aye," he answered softly and adoringly, kissing her forehead delicately. "I think I most certainly did."

* * *

_fin._

 


End file.
